


Downstairs and Dead

by arouraleona



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mythology, Class Issues, Culture, Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Implied Relationships, Murder, Murder Mystery, Platonic Relationships, Romantic Comedy, Serial Killers, Servants, Travel, Undercover, Undercover Missions, Unresolved Emotional Tension, Violence, Wealth, gala events, society
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-05-24 12:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 93,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6153553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arouraleona/pseuds/arouraleona
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following Fairy Tail's break, Princess Hisui calls upon former heiress, Lucy, to help catch a serial killer who has been hunting in the houses of the wealthy for the last 3 years. With Laxus as her partner, the two attend winter society balls and parties, hunting the hunter. Can they catch him before he kills again? And what will their partnership lead to? LaLu. Post-416 Pre-417 during the Fairy Tail Break Year.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Winter Season

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter One

Winter Season

She stood before the princess in the overlarge study. The lights were dimmed making what might have been a very pleasant place quite ominous. A feeling that wasn't at all helped by the information tucked away in the folder she held, or the rumors she'd heard while wandering around in her early days as a "reporter". (She was technically still a model then, but she was trying!)

It was a bit cliché to talk murder in the dark.

Horror stories around campfires. Well, not campfires. Large desks backed by a flickering fireplace, but horror stories, still. Dead body piled upon dead body, and no one cared.

No. No. Someone cared. But few. Few. Too few. Too few cared when so many had gone; gone never to return.

Damn, her heart hurt.

Solo missions, back when Fairy Tail was still a guild and Lucy was still a member, were not her strong suit. She worked with teams. She thrived on companionship, and worked best as support, but the last few months had seen her working alone more than not, out of necessity. It was like escaping her father all over again... and this would be like going back. Some sort of sick, terrible circle.

Still, she'd become comfortable, if not at all happy, on her own. And the job would be in a place she understood. A place she could dominate. But. But. She didn't want to do it alone. She wouldn't do it alone.

Not murder. Not this. Good, sweet stars, not this.

Eighteen deaths in three years. Same six houses. Same time. Every year. Kept secret; saving face. They were only servants, after all. Common folk. So easily replaceable. How long did it take to train a girl to fold laundry, after all?

Serial killers among the wealthy elite. No. Not murder. Not this.

But someone had to do it – eighteen dead and a new year coming! - and she could be that someone.

But, by the Spirit King himself, she would not do it alone.

"This mission will have to be secret," she told Princess Hisui. "I will need to create some sort of excuse for my boss, and I will need to make sure this stays quiet. If it, if _I_ become too much of a spectacle, it'll scare off the guy until I'm gone and then he'll just come back later in the season, or wait until next year."

"I agree."

She swallowed. "I can't be... I can't be Lucy. Not _Lucy_ Lucy, the Lucy I've been for the last few … well the last several years, I guess. Lucy Heartfelia, my father's daughter." A shudder crawled up her spine, but she tried not to let it show. "I did not want this," she whispered selfishly to herself.

Eighteen people. Eighteen corpses. Selfishness needed to be put away for others.

If the princess heard her, she graciously chose to ignore those words. "You are, I truly believe, my best choice for this job. So I will, of course, give you what you need to make your entrance, and I'll provide you with a cover so that you do not lose your job."

"Your bosses aren't going to take well to you disappearing on them when you've only been there for a handful of months..." she trembled at the deep voice coming from her side, slightly behind. She knew he was there, but he had been so quiet that she'd almost forgotten.

"No," she agreed, "neither will your team be all that pleased that you've disappeared on them once more, but this needs some amount of discretion, and you are already enough of an attention grabber by the simple act of physical existence. We don't need to add three more mages and the paparazzi to the mission."

Laxus snorted in what might have been agreement or might have been derision, who could tell?

"The winter social season starts next week and lasts six weeks. Obviously, if we find the killer before then, we won't have to endure the entire whirl, but assuming we have to attend every function, we will need to be in close quarters for seven weeks, almost two months. Do you think you can stick with me that long?" she turned, finally, away from the princess to look at him and ask him the question she hadn't.

She hadn't even looked at him since he'd arrived at the castle only an hour earlier. Hadn't even acknowledged his presence. Hadn't even wanted to think about him, about him as another Fairy Tail, _ex-Fairy Tail_ , member sharing the same breathing space...

His hair glowed golden in the firelight; his eyes were shadowed. His hands were in his pockets. His feet planted so that she was sure a boar could not overbalance him.

Laxus cleared his throat and Lucy noticed that just as she had avoided looking at him, he was doing equally well at avoiding her. He looked over her head to address his question to the princess, "I still don't get it; why me? Lucy's a given, what with being one of the few people out there who are magicians-slash-heiresses," the heiress snorted, "but me? Why?"

Before the princess could answer, Lucy forced her way into his line of sight to explain. " _I_ chose you. Because, in your own way, you're an heir, too." This time it was the princess who snorted, and Lucy smiled at Laxus's clear annoyance with young royal's unladylike reaction. "Sure, you've mellowed a bit, but if you take away the magic, your little rebellious blow up," he glared, probably at _little_ , "was a lot like other young men dealing with having status but no power. Add that to your expressions," she gestured at his growing frown, "which are suitably condescending. Your time in exile means that now, when you are away from the guild, you are quiet and less likely than others to break things. I can teach you manners and how to dance, but _character_ is harder. Not to mention the fact that I require an escort. Both of us traveling together while being unmarried is bad, of course, but I have no father, brother, uncle, or cousin. I have no male family to change that. Any man I travel with will be a possible romantic connection for me, so it is better that I choose one who is strong and capable in his own way. So the fact that you – thinking practically – have the power to fight is good. You are the best choice."

She could tell that her last statement pleased him, though he tried not to let it show.

"And yet, why is a princess even handling this in the first place? When I got your message," he tilted his head to indicate Princess Hisui, "I had to wonder, why not the guard? Or why not a guild?"

Again, Lucy was the one to answer. "Council guard are not the answer here. Too much money and politics are clouding the issue, and local law enforcement, even regional, are too heavily influenced by the power of the families in the region. Added to it, you have one murder per year in each location, and each location is spread out, so to each district it looks like three murders. Only nationally do we see the truth. Only nationally can we get beyond the veil of money and locality and say definitively that there is a serial killer hunting during the regular tour of the winter social season. And only a group as powerful as the royal family could possibly step in and above that power, but..."

_Eighteen people! You have to see! It's so... Eighteen! Obviously no one else cares but her, but us!_

She did not shout at him. He was asking questions that needed to be asked. She knew that; she did.

"But," the princess agreed, "the royal family can't be seen to interfere overmuch with the public. Especially not with families so heavily invested in business. A country needs money, and unfortunately, that sometimes means even we – _I_ – must make nice with such people. Still, three years is too long for this to be swept under the rug. _One_ year was too long, but I only learned of it last year and had no one to ask. Now, I believe you two are uniquely suited to facing this issue and solving it."

"You know these people?" he asked Lucy.

"I'll know some of them. These parties focus heavily on fostering business relationships, which is code for arraigned marriages. Father was very interested in business relationships. Of course, it's been over eight years since I last attended. The people I knew best will already be married."

"How will that change things for you?"

She sighed, exhausted already, "It'll be complicated. As a single woman, I will be placed with other unmarried men and women, who will likely be the younger siblings of my former contemporaries. Familiar, but not comfortable. In this way, Laxus, you," she turned to the large, muscular, blue-eyed blond, "will do much better than I. On top of there being no bad blood between you and the families, women are drawn to your looks, and men to your fame and strength. The mage who beat Jura of the Ten Wizard Saints? You are exactly the sort of man other men like to claim an acquaintance with, while _I_ left and scorned society, yet retain a positive relationship with our Princess. I wouldn't be surprised if I were outright shunned at the first ball, but they will get used to me again."

"Not sure I could chat up an heiress," Laxus muttered.

Lucy and Princess Hisui laughed together. Loudly. It felt rather good to laugh. She hadn't been laughing much, lately.

"What?!"

"I'm not sure you could _chat up_ anyone. Not that I've spent a lot of time in your company, but I've never once seen you flirt. You're a bit of an egotistical bastard, but it's not from nothing. You just stand there, and they come to you. And that's in bars and guilds! At a manor with girls forced to consider middle-aged men or – if they're lucky – younger men, followed by the rather dull prospect of life as a Lady, you'll be a breath of fresh air. Heck," she grinned, "if Gajeel had better table manners and was capable of going two hours without breaking things, I'd drag him along, too."

She patted his forearm as if he needed comforting. "Lots of girls like a bad boy, Laxus. I'd think you'd know that by now. Girls raised in gilded towers? Stand still, cross your arms like you do, put on that neutral _I don't give a crap_ expression, and they'll tell you absolutely anything we care to know."

The mixture of emotions on his face told her that he was considering being horrified, but instead he decided to be amused. "You're using me for my body, then."

"That's right." She tapped his shoulder, this time, deep in thought, "Mmm, too bad jackets and high collars are the fashion at the moment... just a hint of that tattoo and we could own a few of them." She shared a smirk with the tall man and felt a wave of happiness that almost drove her to her knees in a fit of tears.

 _Eighteen dead. You_ can't _be happy about this mission._

"And you?" The question was so quickly asked that Lucy suspected Laxus sensed her change in emotion.

"Well, I was in the process of being contracted to one of those middle-aged men, I mentioned. Father only ever considered money, and marrying me to a young heir meant waiting, and that didn't interest him."

"Contracted."

She laughed, but she knew this laugh would sound false to him. "Maybe you never heard, as you were busy running around, being an ass at the time," Princess Hisui coughed, "but the reason Father hired Phantom Lord to abduct me was that the contract was finalized. I could no longer gallivant around the country. I was 'engaged' to Prince Sawalu of the Julenelle. All for a rail line, he was willing to sell me to that disgusting pig of a man. I wasn't surprised. I expected it. Money was the goal, and he had it. None of my other bidders, ah, suitors, were any better. All reasons you will be popular to other ladies of station, Laxus. All things I can go more into detail about later."

The two others stayed silent. Hisui would understand. Her situation was likely similar. Well, a little different, maybe. Politics like hers were separate from money and far more complex, but the contracts and negotiations that were likely going on in preparation for her marriage had to be vast.

Lucy continued. "As my name still has a measure of worth, if only in gossip, I will focus on widowers, I think. No one would want me for their son, but a man who already has a family and is just looking for companionship? And my lack of monetary ambitions is infamous. I would be a safe choice. And, anyway, old men are very free with their words around a pretty young woman."

"Think highly of yourself, don'cha?" he tried to lighten the mood, but her response killed it.

"I was raised to know my value."

"Damn. I already hate this," he grumbled.

"And you don't even know the half of it. On the positive side, the food will be excellent."

He just stared.

"Booze should be good, too," she added. "Top of the line. And flowing freely. I'll see if I can snitch some for a few of our friends." She managed a smile. It too was fake, but she needed to practice.

There would be a lot of fake smiles. Two months. All full of fake smiles and forced laughter. Physical contact with revolting men. Hurtful words spat by women and men, who found her to be too common since leaving her father, to be ignored.

A murderer dancing on a smooth marble floor, a series, weeks of smooth marble floors illuminated by sparkling lights. Would she touch his hand? Or her hand? It could be a her. Not likely, but possible. But if so, would Laxus hold her close and take turns with her around that floor? Would a nineteenth body fall before they discovered the killer and brought closure for the families of the dead?

"So," Princess Hisui looked at the two of them. "You'll take the job?"

"Yes, we will." She turned to her guild( _ex, ex!_ )mate, straining her neck to look up at him. She'd have to remember to stand farther away from him so she didn't have to stretch so much. "Laxus, please come with me. The tour will begin in a week. You need a new wardrobe and years' worth of instruction in a matter of days, so we can't afford to wait."

"I just got into town. I need a room," he told her as they waved goodbye to the princess and slipped out of the study's side door.

Though Lucy was sure his eyesight was far superior to hers in the darkness, she knew her way around. She grabbed his wrist and pulled him left. "If it came to that, I've got a place, but actually, the princess set us up here until we leave."

"Gotta habit for butting her nose in, doesn't she?"

She wasn't sure how Laxus meant that to be taken. Was he making a joke? Criticizing? Coming to a realization? Lucy clutched the folder to her chest and tried not to dig her nails into his skin. "It's because she cares. She cares for us. For Fiore. Her people."

"Just thinking, she reminds me of... I thought she'd fit in well with the rest of..." he coughed and swallowed and stopped talking, and she finally understood what he wasn't saying. What he wasn't sure how to say. How to word it.

Finally understood and finally realized that he was exactly what she wanted him to be when she called for him.

Sad.

Lost.

Confused.

Just like her.

Just like her.

0000X0000


	2. The Secret Strangler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lucy and Laxus make plans.
> 
> And lessons in eating begin.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Two

The Secret Strangler

The princess had, in fact, given them a whole lot of rooms. Laxus looked around as Lucy ducked into a door on the right-hand side while gesturing to a door across the very large, very warm, very well-appointed room and proclaiming it his.

"Put your things down, and come back out when you're ready. I'm going to go order some food, but I'll leave the folder on the table. I looked at the reports this afternoon when the princess called me, so I've already seen the basics."

"Can't we just … call up for food? Ring a silver bell? A _gold_ bell." Laxus figured a place with rooms like this should have that sort of service.

"Of course," she popped back out, "but there's no need to bother anyone for that. I'll run down to the kitchens and grab a few things from the night staff without having to worry anyone for deliveries. Faster this way, too."

"If you say so."

"I do," she nodded, and left the … he supposed it was a suite?

Dumping his travel pack in his room made him shudder. The place was absurdly opulent for what was just a place for a guest to sleep. It didn't suit him, and he didn't suit it. He quickly backed out and returned to the common room to pick up the folder Lucy had left.

He sat down – god, at least it was a comfortable chair, if unnecessarily patterned with swirls and swoops of prickling metallic thread that probably was made of real gold and silver – and began to look through the pages.

The folder was thick for a reason. It was divided into sections. There would be a blue page marked with a name, a date, and a location. After that was a page titled a _report of incident_ , which Laxus thought was a bullshit way of calling the list of nightmarish shit he saw written there on the first one, which he quickly turned... and then instantly regretted.

Because then there were pictures. Pictures after pictures after pictures.

He almost called up his magic, scorching the room with his instinctual reaction. Barely, he kept control, but it was a close thing. He wanted to throw the thing into the fire. He wanted to rip it to shreds.

This was the job. This was the job, and Lucy – fucking _Lucy_ – had already gone through it all.

The room, the folder remained undamaged.

He flipped through almost a hundred photos – not reading the reports with them yet, just the photos – and tried to judge their prey by studying them.

"What do you think?" he asked Lucy, finally. She had returned when he was about halfway through the stack, a spirit he didn't recognize following behind her with a large covered tray in hand, but Laxus hadn't been able to eat the food she put in front of him. She didn't say anything about his lack of appetite.

She'd already seen the photos. She'd understand. He wouldn't have to say a word, and she'd understand.

"He's controlled. I don't know much about killers, but he's been doing this in each household for three years without getting caught. When I first heard, that didn't seem like a lot, but on the other hand, it does. Especially when you think about last year. They knew it happened two years in a row, surely they suspected it could happen again. Surely each house did _something_ to prepare. And yet, in every house there was a murder, just like the year before."

"Yeah."

"So. Controlled enough to not make mistakes. Three years; eighteen victims; steady, unchanging weapon-of-choice in the clothing tourniquet – underwear and a spoon. Obviously, he's killed before this, somewhere, some _when_ that was sloppy and less controlled. I asked the princess to have someone search for records of other similar tourniquets used in murders outside of the house killings. This is not, cannot be a young man. At the very least you must be 16 to join the balls, which means he's at least 19. Doesn't do much, but it's a number, a line. A defining criteria. I would say older, because of the learning period, but I won't take chances. And I have Crux going through what few records I do have to see if there are any men we can know were away – say on business, or at royal events – and thus automatically not suspect."

"Helpful."

"Yeah," she smiled, a small, dim excuse for an expression. "Yeah, I thought so."

"Anything else?"

"He doesn't," she cleared her throat, and he knew what was coming. He nodded in agreement. She didn't have to say a word. He understood. Didn't have to say a word, but she finished the thought anyway. "He doesn't rape them all. I don't know what it means, but it is notable."

"I agree."

She fiddled with the keys on her hip. "What about you?"

"Bloodless, but extremely brutal. When the letter mentioned a serial killer who strangled his victims, I thought that was it, but all of the broken bones... That takes time, privacy, and a shitload of planning."

"Yeah."

_Don't have to say it. Don't have to say it. Don't have to say it._

"The underwear? I, um, uh," he coughed.

"Yeah."

"Is it just that it's, that they're _there_?"

Lucy bit her lip and reached out for the folder, turning to one of the earlier victims. "She was found in the stairway closer to the attic than the kitchens. Still the underwear and the spoon. I think it has a specific meaning, that spoon, and the underwear. It's not just convenience. Yes, usually they're close to serving areas where spoons and other such things can be found, but... and the underwear, that... I think that's shaming. To die like that... it's not just a loss of control, but... I..."

He understood.

She understood.

His eyes followed her hands as they fluttered from the folder to her keys and back, over and over again. "What's with the posing?'

"No one seems to know. They don't appear to be modeled after anything, statues or art. But certainly the body positions are unnatural. Some of the breaking is for that purpose."

"Ah," he reached for the folder, looked back through the photos, and saw that she was right. "Fuck."

"Yeah."

He put the folder aside. "Why me?"

"I said-"

"To the princess, but she's gone. Why me?"

"You... okay. Okay. I'll need protection you can provide. Other guilds... I just don't... I can't..." she shook her head. "I just can't. I just can't. Even if I could _find_ Natsu or Gray – which I can't – they aren't suited for society. The only strong men left to escort me are Gajeel – same argument – Elfman – again – Bickslow – need it be said? – Freed, and you. Between you and Freed, you're better known, better with women, and have a dragon slayer's gifts. At least, I assume you have the heightened smell and hearing. I chose you based on those reasons."

"Freed's smart."

"I'm smart," she countered, "and I'm getting us in the door. Two Fairy... ex Fairy Tail mages stand out enough. Three or four, if he brought Evergreen as a partner, would be too many, too much. _This killer_ is smart, Laxus. Only the fact that the guild is down, and I would naturally be looking for some way to survive and make money, like rebuilding my father's empire, excuses my entrance back into a place so many know I find annoying. I am desperate, Laxus, and people know that. Perhaps you are, too; perhaps you are leeching off of me, or we are using one another, but that falls apart if we start moving around with half of the guild in tow.

"Beyond that," Lucy sighed, "the families are all concerned with keeping this secret. If we start spreading it around, they'll come after us."

"You're sure it's one of the rich guys."

"Because of the rape, I don't think it's a woman, though there are ways..." 

He could tell she didn't want to discuss those ways. Neither did he.

He slouched, wrinkling his nose and trying to _think_ , while very much not wanting to think. Trying to catch up with something he'd rather not have anything to do with. "I didn't mean women, exactly," he mumbled. "What about the servants. These people have to take butlers or protection or people to do their hair and shine their fancy-ass shoes, right?"

"Well, yes. But the princess and I actually already discussed that angle. First, we believe that if they _could_ blame it on a servant, they would have. Much easier to have the murder solved, even if it meant to falsely imprison. Problem is, there's obviously magic involved in the murders, and so few servants have their own personal magic or have access to bought magic of any strength. Too expensive."

" _Obviously magic involved_?"

"You said it yourself," she waved a lazy hand at the folder. "Brutal but bloodless. Not a single broken bone, not matter how severe, how sharp, broke the skin. Not a fingerprint left behind. Not a single scrap of skin under a fingernail. No fluids. Nothing. There's magic in that, somewhere. But even discounting the magic, bodyguards are rotated fairly frequently. Though we don't have perfect information, most families have had no steady guard through the last three years. As for the body servants, most families have several, and they'll rotate throughout the season. Even if they've had the same three maids in the household, they only keep one with them on tour, but probably trade them out. While the family is away, that's when their servants are given their yearly vacation time, generally one to two weeks. No one servant would travel the whole six week circuit."

"So it is one of the sons or fathers."

"Or grandfathers."

"Wealthy assholes," he grumbled.

"Entitled," she added.

He flexed his fists and cracked his knuckles. "They're not going to take well to being spied on from the inside."

"Nope."

"Another reason for the bodyguard."

"You got it."

"So. When do we start?"

"Now. We start now." She leaned back in her chair, trying to relax from the more stressful posture discussion of the murders and guild had called up in her. "I learned, even before the Games gala party, that a surprising number of guild members know basic social dances like the simple waltz. You...?"

He grunted.

"From caveman speak, I'm going to translate that as meaning _yes_. Any others?"

"No."

"Fine. You're good on your feet. You'll learn fast. Real problem is just the sheer size of you. I'll teach you, but I'll allow you to opt out of the dances that benefit from partners being similar in height. Which rule I'm sure you'll appreciate."

"There are dances like that?"

She grunted, and followed it up with a small smirk. He glared. She almost laughed. Almost.

"A few. They are strongest when the dancers are connected at the knees and hips. The lead takes long, full strides, and a woman too much shorter than her male lead would fumble. A more experienced pair on a good floor with good shoes could shift the female's shorter step back into a slide, but that's not a move amateurs could pull off. It is not good for a young woman to be seen as without grace on the ballroom floor; you might as well use the time more wisely by speaking with other men."

"Making nice with the rich assholes."

"It will make them feel powerful to speak with you, Laxus. Never doubt, they will believe themselves better than you, as you are common, rough, and comparatively poor." She grinned, "But, as I've already said, you are also physically powerful, and even from a male perspective, attractive."

He slouched in his ugly chair, "Not really who I wanna be attractive to."

Again, she almost laughed. Again, she didn't. "Want or don't want, it's true." She shrugged. "Then, of course, there are the group dances, which call for – generally – an 8 to 16 beat move before switching partners. At least the modern ones do. I remember the most popular when I was going were much faster, with a hand off after every fourth."

"Sounds awful."

"No," and for the first time since they left the princess, she did actually laugh. And for the first time since he reconnected with her, the laugh was real, "they were wonderful. The group dances are the only joy... for me, they are the only feeling of joy I have connected to my memories of society. It was hard not to get swept up – pun unintended – by the energy of such a dance. And the rapid partner changes discourage conversation as well as making lingering touches impossible. Benefit after benefit."

When she put it that way...

No. Still sounded awful.

"I attended a gala held by His Majesty and Her Highness last weekend in preparation. I know the modern dances well enough to teach them to you. So that is handled. Now. Onto manners. As I said, both men and women will respond to your gruff aloofness in their own positive ways, but certain things like using honorifics, showing some level of respect to elders, knowing proper table etiquette..."

"I know how to _eat_."

"I'm not saying how to eat, I'm saying the rules and regulations of the high-class table. They're absurdly stupid and complicated. If you know them, good. If you don't, no judgment. I wish I didn't."

He grunted again, clearly unhappy.

"I know this part will be hardest for you, but I do ask that you try. I'm not asking you to be perfect or suave, just that you don't talk to our host's grandmother like you do your own grandfather, and not to eat like Natsu or Elfman. Don't make an absolute fool of us, and we'll survive."

"This is bullshit," he muttered.

"So you said."

"I have not-"

"Yeah, well, you've thought it loudly and often enough that I've gotten the picture. You think I want to do this? I _hate_ this. Every bit of it. I ran away from that life, if you'll recall, and those pictures," she swallowed and averted her eyes, "terrify me. I _hate_ this, but I don't think the princess is wrong. There are very few mages that come from, but are free of, the power of wealth. Among those few, there are an even smaller number connected with partners both powerful and skilled enough to aid in the hunt. I may be the only one in all of Fiore, in fact.

"So, I stepped up, even though it means stepping back into all of that unwanted drama. To deal with people I dislike, and who dislike me. So, I'm sorry if your exhaustion at having to be vaguely polite to old women is _bullshit_ to you, but either get the hell over it, or I guess just leave. Yes, I chose you. I think you're my best hope for success, but if you're not going to do the work properly, I'm better off going alone."

"The fuck you are. I don't like it, doesn't mean I'm not gunna do it anymore than you." He rolled his shoulders. "I'll manage. What about clothes. _Our_ servants. Stuff like that?"

She nodded, allowing the conversation to move on. "My spirits. We won't have to worry so much about fashion. We'll stand out, but be attractive. Celestial wear is always good looking, but also tough enough to withstand a bit of damage. Plus, it's free. I'll also have Gemini act as my maid... as Lisanna, I think. At the very least, she's unassuming enough, but attractive, if I decide to draw in for information, and aside from Levy, she's probably the smallest female I have copied if I decide to use Gemini as bait."

"Why not Levy, since she is smaller?"

"Stands out more. She's noticeably small. And blue."

"Okay."

"Loke will act as your servant. I don't think he'll be recognized, as it's been eight years since he was on all of the hot-singles lists. Plus, in a pinch he can open his own gate."

"Won't drain you too much? Keeping them open like that?"

The restless hand he kept watching stilled and clutched at her skirt briefly. But only briefly. Only briefly before returning to her keys.

"Assuming you can dress and care for your own needs, I'll only need to let them out in short bursts to prove that we _have_ servants. And if something does happen that they're discovered to be my spirits, it's not ruinous. People know I'm a celestial wizard." She sighed, looking around the opulence of the common room of their royal suite. "I hope we finish this soon."

He agreed wholeheartedly.

She stood up and stretched. Laxus watched her, looking for some sort of change in her. This was someone who was more like Natsu than anyone else he had ever met – near unrestrained joy and optimism, unwavering determination – but she wasn't any longer.

"If you'll let Virgo look you over, she can gather clothing good for say … the next three days. We'll plan that far ahead with clothing so that we don't have so much."

"I'll never need any fancy shit again, so yeah. Any more would just go to waste."

"Never say never, Laxus." She brushed her hand over her hip and pulled a key from the case, "Virgo!"

As Lucy and her spirit discussed clothing, he took a moment to study them both. He remembered the maid spirit from the games and had heard that she was both strong and capable of tunneling, which Laxus thought was weird for a maid spirit. But what did he know? Loke was a lion that had something to do with light, so … yeah.

"Yes, Princess. I can adequately outfit him for your mission." Laxus found the spirit's neutral expression pleasant. She had the barest hint of a smirk, adding a bit of character that matched those crazy chains. It was so like his own (you know, without the chains) that he chuckled. He considered full on laughter, but instead he crossed his arms over his massive chest and looked down at the tiny creature. She was weird, but he thought she suited a version of Lucy that once existed. In a place before she was here.

"I see your point, Princess. He will be very popular."

"I know, right?!"

"Punishment?"

"No," Lucy said, "just please see to the clothes."

"Of course, Princess." And the pink-haired, chained maid spirit winked at him and dissolved into light.

"Well. That's the first time I've ever seen Virgo take to someone like that. Interesting to know her type, and, of course, continues to both prove my point with the unfortunate side effect of adding more weight to your already huge ego."

"You're forgetting who and what I normally keep company with."

"Point," she acknowledged, likely remembering all of the flowery and over abundant compliments his team pushed on him minute-by-minute. That he was attractive was hardly a secret or hardly unknown to him. " _So_ ," she looked from him, to the food, and back to him. "How tired are you? I can give you some basic food stuff. Some basic dance stuff. Or we can do neither and you can sleep. I've no experience with how sick you get on trains and in carriages, so I'm not sure how well I can teach you while we travel..."

He glared at her, "I'll be fine."

"Will you really?"

He continued to glare. "Yes."

"Mmm, truly? Because I heard..."

" _Okay_ , fine. Yes, it will be a problem. _Yes_ , I noticed you got a shit-ton more silverware than _anyone_ would ever need to eat one meal. Yes, you can teach me to fucking _eat_."

"I can already tell what a gracious student you will be," she said. This smile was soft, and Laxus didn't like it. He liked very little of what he saw in her since entering the castle, but then, he hadn't expected to. He didn't like a whole lot of what he saw every morning in the mirror, either.

"Gracious and me don't live on the same planet."

"No, but let's see if you can manage to live with _patient_."

He snorted.

"Oh, come on, Laxus. You can be a patient man, if you choose. I've seen you sit in unmoving silence for hours. This is only a hardship if you make it one. Don't be a baby."

"I hate this..." he muttered, for what must have been the hundredth time.

"You sure do whine a lot. Who knew the sexy, broody scowl of one of Fiore's strongest mages was really hiding a sulky infant? Should I message Freed and the others and have them send me some diapers and burping cloths?"

He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "You have no idea how much I wish I could beat that statement out of you."

"I have some idea, I think, based on the fact that you look like you're going to cry. Now, I only have one course here, so it's not like I can show you what a full dining experience will look like until we actually get to our first house, but I've brought all the tableware." She sat on the arm of his chair and patted his thigh in comfort. "Standard placement is to eat going from the outside and moving in. Some choices are obvious, for example, the sharpest knives being for meat, while the dullest are for spreads. Large, deep-bowled spoons for soup, extraordinarily small spoons for some sort of delicacy. Most desserts are served after the meals are finished, often with their own fork or spoon."

"What's with the mini trident?" he asked, grateful she'd moved on from humiliating him.

"Fruit."

"Ah."

"Now, to continue..."

Worst...three hours...of his life...

0000X0000


	3. Things Better Left Unsaid, Said

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lucy and Laxus adjust to one another.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Three

Things Better Left Unsaid, Said

The bedroom, hell, the _bed_ , was unsettlingly large. And that was coming from him, a man who made even king-size beds comfortable for one-person-only. This thing would fit a group of six.

Orgies, Laxus decided. That was the only answer; the bed was made with orgies in mind.

The size of it made Laxus feel small, and when coupled with the last two months of alternating guilt, panic, determination, loss, fear – he hated that one – it was like his asshole of a grandfather had exiled him all over again.

_All_ of them. He saw the emptiness in Lucy. The disconnect. That searching, reaching need for something that was gone. He'd felt that the first time he was sent away from the only home he'd ever known. Liked or not, it was his home. And now he'd lost it again. They'd all lost it again.

The first time, difference was, the first time, he'd deserved it. She didn't. None of them did. Fuck, it pissed him off. Stupid old man. Then, just to go and disappear like that. It was crap, and Laxus had spent months caught up in a void of trying to make himself better, to turn himself into a man better capable of protecting the people he loved all the while wondering what could have happened to the old man who did that one thing better than anyone.

Gramps was the best at protecting them. He'd do anything to protect them.

Fuck. He just didn't know. And now, in this gigantic bed, after months of emotional hell, he felt like a child. And when he was a child, he too often felt scared and abandoned.

Fucking bed.

Fucking old man.

He listened to Lucy clatter around in the bathroom. Then clatter around her assigned bedroom. There was a silence that should have been her sleeping, but he heard her stand. He heard her pacing.

Lucy was going through an emotional hell of her own. He got that. That fact that he felt glad she was unhappy, that she was _also_ unhappy, was bad. Really bad. But true.

When he heard her door open, he thought she might try the bathroom again. Or maybe sit in front of the fireplace and brood. If she did that, he might join her. Not like he was sleeping. He wondered if she'd sneak downstairs for a midnight snack, stealing food from the palace kitchens. That would be a ballsy thing to do.

She did none of those things.

Her entry was cautious, but she didn't bother to knock, which amused him. Such a Fairy Tail thing to do, break into his room. Not many other people had the balls to do something like enter his room after midnight without permission.

"I was wondering," she said without preamble. Being that he was what he was, she would know he could hear her coming, but then Natsu could sleep through the apocalypse. There was no guarantee he would be awake enough to respond to her softly spoken statement.

But the words were without any hesitation. She knew he'd be awake. She knew he'd listen.

"Spit it out."

"Can I sleep in here?"

_That_ was unexpected.

"I'm not asking to _sleep_ sleep with you-"

"Yeah, I didn't get that _please fuck me_ vibe."

She glared and then rolled her eyes, which he again chose to find amusing. He expected a little more anger, to be honest.

"Ugh. Well, it won't even be close to the same," she muttered, "but... I got used to... back when... _before_... I didn't sleep alone very often. Then, for months since... Now you're here, and I thought I'd ask. But that's all I'm doing. Asking. You don't have to say yes."

He looked at her, her features shadowed and her body outlined by the light coming from outside the room. She was a dark silhouette still standing straight and uncertain in his doorway. He looked at her, at the things he'd noticed, but had not acknowledged.

Her hair was longer. Longer than it should be for only a few month's growth. Trying to distance herself. With the princess she had been professional. Determination was the only emotion he recognized in her as natural. The rest of her was false. A few small smiles. But nothing like the girl he knew, or somewhat knew. Not that they had been close, but he knew that she had a smile that made her a twin of her flame-headed partner. A smile that had vanished with him, taken away when the stupid bastard ran out on her.

Here, in this room, she looked like a hunter, tired and lost. The determination was _there_ , she just didn't know what to do with it, and it was edged in grief.

How the hell could he turn her down? Turn her away. Back. Back through that door into the shadows and the pacing and the obvious sleep-deprived discomfort.

Shit.

"Don't kick. I've seen you kick. Don't do it. Bring your own pillow."

"Thanks," she nodded as she left with a quick skip.

What the fuck had he gotten himself into?

"I appreciate it," she climbed, literally climbed, into the bed and stretched out beside him, but not close enough to touch.

"It's fine. Not like there isn't room."

That actually called out a laugh from her. Bitter. Breathy. But it jumped in her diaphragm and warmed her skin. "I know, right? Made it even worse. Who needs a bed this big, anyway?"

He considered, but chose not to tell her his orgy theory. Sex was off the table, and it would just make the situation uncomfortable. Even if it was funny.

"Laxus?"

"Who knows. Something to spend money on. Fucking rich people."

"Mmm. Could very well be. Father didn't have them. Not sure if it's just the royal house, or if they're in vogue right now. I guess we'll find out next week."

"Guess so."

"Mmm. Thanks 'gain, Laxus."

"Yeah. No big deal."

"Goodnight."

"Night."

0000

"You're very, um... heavy..." a female voice mumbled from under him when he finally woke the next morning.

It took him a second – more than a second – to remember he was on a mission with Lucy and that she had begged her way into his bed, _non-sexually_ , the night before. He was surprised that she'd woken up before him, but then again, that couldn't be comfortable.

"S'rry," he grunted, flexing his shoulders as he pushed himself up, trying to work the odd knots out of his body that came from sleeping in such a weird position. He scrunched up his face, waking up slowly. He was never at his best in the morning. "Not use'to sleepin' with other people," he grunted as a muscle in his thigh tightened uncomfortably, "'specially not women."

She was straightening her top and running her fingers through her tangled hair when she paused to look at him. A grin touched her lips and spread wide. There was a crease in her cheek from her pillow case or the sheet. It stretched as she smiled, making her look silly.

He rubbed his eyes. "What?"

" _Especially not women_?"

"Huh?"

She made air quotes with her small, so-easily-breakable fingers, " _I'm not used to sleeping with people, especially not women_." The grin grew somehow wider. "Oh, Mr. Dreyar, I never knew! But it makes so much sense! And I feel like I understand you so much better, now!"

"Wait, what?" he rubbed sleep from his eyes and tried to catch up with what she was sayi- "Oh hell no. That is _not_ what I meant. I meant I'm not used to... making... for small people like...they don't... stay...over..." he sighed. "Shit."

"No need to get defensive, Laxus. Perfectly natural! I accept you no matter what." Then that grin went curvy and sly, much like her hips and eyes, "And I think you and Freed are adorable together."

"Oldest insult in the book."

"Who was insulting anyone? I want to be your maid of honor, and the godmother of your first kid. I love it."

He growled, unsure of how to respond. One one hand … oh fuck it. He'd heard the Freed thing a hundred times already. It was an old taunt, like he said, and used by more assholes than he could put names to. But she was right, this time it wasn't being thrown as an insult. Sure, she was teasing, but...

_I accept you no matter what_ , were not words he'd ever heard. Not given to him, at least. Even if it was teasing. And he _did_ , he would admit to himself, start it. That was something... that was...

He didn't know. But it was something.

"Only our first kid?" he decided to embrace it while he stretched, shifting under the covers, allowing himself to admire the humor in the face of the woman who had seemed so lost the night before.

"Well, I figure some of the others need a chance at godmotherdom. Don't want to be too greedy. But I call first."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"See that you do."

After a moment of silence he asked, "I do that all night? I know I said no kicking, but fuck, if I'm smothering you to death, you know, self defense..."

She laughed, "I didn't want to be a bother. And it's not like you were doing it on purpose. People sleep how they sleep. Not that you couldn't maybe _try_ to..."

"Well," he grumbled, "I guess you'll either deal with being squished, or you can find a new bed."

"Oh no!" she said, quickly throwing up her hands and dismissing the mocking expression. "You're heavy, yeah, but … but it was nice. I liked it."

It was his turn to grin as he slid off the bed, freeing himself from the tangle of the body-warm blankets. "Mmm, that's good to know, then. _Likes the bottom, not bothered by size differences_. Got it filed away for future reference."

Fists on hips, she huffed and followed him off the bed into the shared area of the suite where the bathing facilities were. "What, are you an archive mage, now?"

"Only with the really important stuff."

"Well, that's interesting. Can remembering to wear underwear to bed tonight become important?"

He grinned, happy she finally broke and mentioned it. Actually, he was more impressed she hadn't freaked the hell out way sooner. Like when she first got into bed. Or just a moment before when he languidly stretched himself out of that same bed.

"Can't remember something that's never happened."

"That's understandable," she nodded.

He blinked. _Turned_. Looked at her. Blinked, again.

"I mean, Gray didn't sleep over a lot," _ahhh_ , "especially after Juvia joined, but, you know _been there, done that_. If you sleep that way, it's fine."

He crossed his arms. He took a step closer. Towering over her. Staring. Staring at her until she looked away. Until those slightly embarrassed, still lost, somewhat guilty eyes looked away from him.

"Used to Gray stripping? Maybe. Yeah. Maybe. I get that. Sharing your bed with your team? Fuck, I know Natsu and Erza, I get that, too. Now, you, I don't know. Not much. Was away most of the time you've been around. But I watch folks, and I noticed some shit about you."

"Such as?"

_Defenseive._

"You're hot enough to land any man and no few of the women in Fiore, and yet I've never caught a wiff of sex on you."

"I'm not a virgin," she challenged him.

"Never said you were, just said you didn't go around smellin' like it. Still not done with my point. You may've come to accept Gray's craziness, but only cuz you see it as part of him. You, at least before Tartarus, still gave a shit about being naked in front of men and men being naked in front of women. I heard you screaming about that fire idiot being in the women's baths once."

"You _heard_ that?!" Her defensive stance, strained muscles and stiff posture went loose and shocked.

"Not the point, Lucy... well, maybe... yeah, that is the point. Four months ago, you might have allowed a dumbass and his stupid cat to crawl in your bed, but you still bitched at 'em about it. I heard you. You might've stood speaking with an butt-ass nude Gray, but you still told him to put on his damn clothes. But not standing here, not with a terrifying man three times your size."

"Terrifying? I'm not terrified of you," she snapped. Posture ridged. But no longer on defense. Offense. Her temper blazed in her flashing cheeks and clenched fists. "Smell. You said I never smelled like sex, well, if you think back, you'll realize I've never smelled like response fear, either. Hearing. My heart would never beat like one afraid. You're not a dumb man. You can figure this out for yourself, if you try."

He noticed that her fists were flexing. If she were taller, he was pretty sure she would have punched him. She was pissed off. Really fucking pissed off.

"You never attacked me directly, so I never felt that. Anger? Yes. Lots of that. Pissed as heck that you insulted us, looked down on us, your family. To think we'd crumble under that. Please. Anger? Yes. But not fear. I know response fear. I'd flinch away from my own father. Come on, Laxus," she was looking him in the eyes now. She'd even taken a step of her own, forward, closer, "What do I smell like? Sound like? What do you see in me?"

"Anger."

"And?"

He clinched his hands so as not to squirm. That little bit of teasing had turned on him fast. Fuck, this had gotten awkward. "Sadness."

"You were a winy little entitled shit who never spent a moment of his life without his guild or his worshipful followers, and then you were tossed on your ass. Exiled. _You know_. What. Do. I. Smell. Like."

"Loneliness."

"So, stand there naked," she growled, "I don't care. As long as you're _there_. Here. Sleep naked. _I don't care_. Just..." and the anger faded, wilted, leaving that loneliness behind as the only emotion to fill her, "please, let me sleep next to you. I know it sounds terrible, but, but, I miss them. And in a separate room, I'll miss you."

He sighed, wanting to run from the room. From the castle and capital and very continent if he could. "The whole trip?"

"I...I would like that."

"Housekeepers, servants will talk if you do, and those widowers you want to cozy up to likely won't take well to you spending your nights in my bed."

"Yes," she agreed while smoothing out her hair. "I'll make sure to properly rumple my bed sheets, or maybe spend an hour in it at night before sneaking over to yours?"

"Sneaking?" He swallowed, thankful as hell that the tension was draining from her and the air around them. Thankful that their fight, or whatever it was, was over. Fucking hell. He was not good at shit like this.

While she answered him, he started his morning routine. Only difference being that, as he brushed his teeth, she did the same at his side. It was odd. He didn't particularly like it. How did this feel more intimate than waking up naked on top of her had?

"Oh yes. We won't always have nice suites like here. Sneaking will be necessary. No need to worry, though. I'll hardly be the only one."

"No shit? Lots of bed hopping even when the whole parents are hoping for contracts crap is going on?"

"Simple cause and effect; it's because of the contracts that the bed hopping occurs. That aside, I was more referring to our killer. He'll also be sneaking around. Might as well do it, too."

"But not alone."

He heard her heart speed up and saw her cheeks flush. There eyes met for a brief moment in the mirror. Just as she said, he wasn't stupid. This wasn't fear. But it wasn't sadness or anger, either.

And it wasn't loneliness.

"You're right. Not alone."

0000X0000


	4. Grateful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Laxus learns to dance, and they finally leave the castle.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Four

Grateful

The dancing practice was worse than the eating, because at least with the eating there was food. With the dancing all he wanted to do was turn it into fighting, but he was forced to keep it to slow, boring, dull... walking... spinning... walking... spinning...it was hell. An awful, waking nightmarish hell.

And then, during breaks, when refreshments were brought up for them, it was more of the eating practice. Two days, never leaving that room. Always dancing or eating. If he had to keep this up for six weeks, _seven_ weeks, he was likely to turn killer himself.

She, however, maintained a serene expression throughout. Which disturbed him. She wasn't a serene person. She wasn't Mira. Fuck, Mira wasn't Mira when Mira first went from her usual demon self to that false face of serenity.

And maybe that was it. Maybe her serenity was a false face, just as Mira's had been. So he watched her. He watched her and waited for her to reveal herself.

"How are you doing without your team?" she asked during one of their rare breaks when she wasn't nagging him about the proper timing of when to pick up and put down a spoon. Because, apparently, there was a beat for eating. Who the fuck knew? "I know you were with them when I called you away."

"You know, we're doing okay, but I'm used to being away. And they're used to me taking time to myself. Been awhile since I've been off on my own, so I was feeling a bit... They know I don't like to be around a lot of... um..uh..."

She grimaced, "Right, right. This is going to be everything you hate."

"But it'll shake things up." Laxus studied her. Looking for her old joy. He felt guilty for complaining so much before. If he stopped, maybe she'd come back. "That's something. What about you? You've been solo this whole time. That's not exactly your style. I'm sure there are lots of places that would have-"

Lucy shrugged. "But that's true of all of us, isn't it? Yet we didn't all join up. Group up. We flew off in different directions. Here and there, guilds and shops, far-flung cities, odd jobs. All sorts of things to make end's meat, to make up for our losses. We could have stayed together, but we went our own ways. I'm waiting. Same as you. Waiting for whatever comes next."

" _We didn't all join up_? How do you know? In fact, how exactly _did_ you know where I was? You tracking folks?" he asked casually, but she saw the tension in his shoulders.

"Yes. Part of the benefits working with the magazine. I've got tabs on almost everyone. You were simple. Mira I keep up with through work with the magazine, Elfman through Mira, Ever through Elfman, you through Ever. Done. Not everyone is that easy."

"Who can't you find?"

"Master, of course." Laxus flinched at her use of the title, but Lucy wouldn't shy away from it. "Gildarts. Natsu and Happy. Gray and Juvia."

"Gramps..."

Lucy leaned forward, "Do you know? Do you know where he is? Why..."

"No."

She sighed, slumping back. "Still waiting, then."

"Waiting for Gramps?"

Her brown eyes locked onto him, stopping his movement, his breath. Thought. "Waiting for my family to come together again."

"Family."

"Family, yes. We have a home to rebuild, but I understand needing some time apart. I understand that. I bet you do, too. We're runaways, you and I," she smiled at him, "but we came back. Tried to come back." She looked out of the window at the lush evergreen gardens of the castle grounds. "Wanted to come back. Won't be too late this time. So I keep track, yes. I watch. I wait."

"Runaways."

"Mmm."

"I was kicked out."

"Before that. Years before that."

He considered what she said and thought about all of the time spent wrecking bars with Ever, Freed, and Bix. Angry. Trying to escape the overlarge shadows of his famous grandfather and infamous father.

Couldn't say she was wrong.

"You had a better reason," he admitted.

"You actually made it back home," she responded.

There was salt and sorrow in her that never turned into tears. He was doing a terrible job at making her happy. A really, really terrible job. Making things worse, more like.

"If you're keeping up with us, that means we're not lost." He tried to be comforting. He knew he wasn't exactly the best at comfort, but he tried to channel memories of his gramps – before the old bastard had turned into a giant dick and ran off on them – and come up with a statement that would give her a slight measure of hope, if nothing more than slight. "Our home, it's still with you, I guess. If you believe in it, and you're protecting it."

The entire shape of her body changed, legs drawing in, stomach tightening, diaphragm expanding with an intake and holding of breath. Her cheeks paled and then flushed; her eyes were wide. Her hands trembled.

"It's not just you," he looked away. Giving her the privacy she needed. It was still not happiness, and it was still not what he intended, but her heartbeat was so strong and she was leaning towards him now, breathing again, rapidly. Hungry; desperate. "Gramps said, after Gildarts left, that he'd be Master until he died. The old asshole isn't dead yet," he grumbled, "so he's still Master. It's not just you waiting. He'll come back. He'll come back."

It wasn't just her he was giving hope to.

"As long as we protect our home," she said.

"Yeah. Yeah. It's been torn down before. And we've been gone before. But we still made it back. And we'll make it back again." He cleared his throat. "In the meantime, we've got work to do."

"You're right," Lucy nodded while wiping away tears that never actually fell. "We leave tomorrow, and you're still kinda bad at the group dancing."

"I'm not _bad_ , it's just boring as hell."

"Ugh, no. Well, yes, boring, correct. But you are also bad. Both things are true, in this case. Stand up, Laxus. We have a few more hours before we sleep, then wake, then get your sad dragon-slayer-self on a carriage. You need to master this tonight."

"I-" she tilted her head, a faint, sad smile on her lips that said she knew what he was going to say, and he remembered that he'd told himself not to complain, "will try."

"Be still my heart. I mean, it was obviously a terrible lie, but the fact that you even made the effort has me swooning in my dancing shoes."

He did as ordered, taking her small hands in his own large ones. The music began to play, and she pulled at his arms, directing him to lead. His mind slid into a place of calm, where he considered their conversation. She had thought of them this whole time. Kept track of them. Followed them and stayed with them, as much as she could. Never lost them.

He looked at her, walked with her, spun with her, and he wasn't bored. No matter the number of hours or the general silence.

As evening darkened the room, Lucy called up a female spirit, a female with a harp, who sat in the corner and played slower music.

"You don't need much talking, they'll yammer at you, but every once in awhile, you'll need to prompt your partners." Lucy began, as he used her teaching to step her around an oddly placed decorative table. She smiled. "Let's practice that." Clearing her throat, she looked up at him with an obviously false expression of adoration.

He rolled his eyes.

"Oh Laxus! I'm surprised that a man of your interests and skills chose to travel to such events as this!"

"Wanna know why I'm there," he said, talking to Lucy, not the character she was playing.

"Correct, though, more trying to find out why you're there with _me_ as much as there in the first place. _Parties for business, business equals marriage_ , remember."

"Yeah. Right. Okay. So..." he shrugged, "I had some free time, and Lucy needed protection for her trip. Figured I could help out."

"Mmm, not bad. Makes it wholly your decision, and as a protective role, which young women will find romantic, but slightly apathetic towards me, which means you have little thought in my direction, making you open for pursuit. Very good."

She sighed, high pitched and long, resting her head on his shoulder. "Oh Laxus, this place has become so dull. Let us flee from here."

"And where would we go? Lots'a people here... probably." He glanced around the people-less room before looking back down at her.

"The pantry is pretty big, and after all the food they served at dinner," she giggled, "likely quite empty."

"Wouldn't want your dad catchin' us going to a _pantry_."

"We can go separately! But that's a good place to meet."

"Dunno. Heard stories about bad things happening to girls last year and the year before. Might not be a good idea, wondering off alone."

"Oh, well. That's no big deal. I'll be okay. Don't worry!"

"Why will you be okay?"

"I've heard the stories, too, but I'm not really sure they're true. And anyway, those stories are always about servant girls. Seems suspicious, doesn't it? But, since I'm not a servant girl, even if it's true, I'll be okay!"

Game or not; play acting or not, Laxus found himself getting agitated and angry with the character Lucy was playing. "Anytime you're alone it's dangerous."

"That's why I want you with me, silly!"

"I..." he shook his head, trying to figure out what to do next. "I'm not sure what... what should I say to her?"

"What do you want to say?" Lucy asked, as they continued to dance, accepting easily how he spoke of that character as a completely different person.

"I don't know. I don't want to send her downstairs alone."

"Do you want to continue dancing?"

"No."

"Because you dislike her company, or because you dislike dancing?"

"Both."

She laughed.

"It's not funny."

"Yes it is."

"But I really don't want to go to the pantry with her."

"No, I guess you don't if you can't even stomach dancing with her. But, still, she's given you a reason to leave off dancing and go downstairs."

"And that's where the killer will be."

"Might be," Lucy corrected.

"Is most likely to be," Laxus agreed. "So I go downstairs."

"Only if you want to."

"I don't."

"Then don't."

"That's not really an option, is it. Elsewise I wouldn't be fucking doing _this_ ," he indicated his current position, which was with her back _not_ pressed against him – it was important that the whole of their bodies not quite touch, so a sliver of space was left between them, teasing – and their hands clasped at her midsection as they walked... _danced_ at a brisk pace in front of the large fireplace.

"A valid point. Can you get her into the pantry and then sort of zap her asleep without her realizing what's happened?"

"Uh, yeah. I can knock her out," he looked at her like she was a lunatic, "but that's bad."

"Truuuue. She really wanted more than unconsciousness from you, didn't she?" The young blond grinned. "Better that you signal me, then, if a situation occurs that takes you from the dance floor. I can send Loke or another spirit with you, to follow you. They can call you back to me, faking an emergency. A reason I desperately need you by my side that would take precedence to your personal time with a lady. To be called on after you secured the information you wanted. That sound good?"

He considered her plan and decided it would work. "Yeah. Yeah, that sounds fine."

"Since I've already decided Loke's going to be your servant, I can just give him free reign."

Light glittered between them and the fire, and Loke stepped up to take his master's hands and steal Laxus's partner from him.

"I would be happy to rescue him from willing women, Princess. And equally happy to step in and take his place, if the opportunity presents itself."

Lucy smacked Loke's hands away with a laughing scowl, "Yeah, I bet you are."

"Now then, Princess. I believe it's time Laxus had some practice in speaking with the sort of men he'll be likely to meet. I suggest you call out Capricorn while you're in the bath, and the three of us will talk."

Laxus was suspicious at his tone and the lion spirit's affable expression, and by Lucy's narrowed eyes, he wasn't the only one, but she nodded anyway and a second spirit appeared. This one was tall, extremely so, and dressed in a suit. Like Loke, he was wearing sunglasses.

"You don't have to come out on your own power, you know." Lucy reached out a pale, fine fingered hand to touch the goat spirit's elbow. Her touch was light. Laxus doubted he felt it. "I can call you."

"We're only talking, Master Lucy. It's no trouble."

"Exactly."

"Come on, Princess. It's bath time. Want help?" Loke leered, and Lucy kicked him in the shins. It was half-hearted at best.

It was... odd. _She_ was odd. They appeared, and the spark of buoyancy that had ignited in her was fading. What the hell was happening?

"First thing," Loke told him as soon as the bathroom door shut, while he was still off balance, "you hurt her, we kill you."

Laxus snorted. "Bullshit. She wouldn't let you, even if I did hurt her. Not that I will. But empty threats won't get you anywhere."

"Our threats aren't empty," the tall goat told him. "She may not give us leave to recoup our vengeance, but spirits talk to spirits, and spirits talk to their owners, and owners talk to their friends. Word gets 'round. Sooner or later your treatment of her will spread to someone who takes exception to it, and that person will do to you what we would want to do ourselves."

Dirty.

Laxus was a direct man, but he also knew you did what you could with what you had. Shattering someone's jaw or cracking a few ribs wasn't always the way to solve problems. Convoluted shit like that would stress him out, but it's how Freed worked, too, so he knew how the game was played. Knew it could get the job done.

Knew that when they made this threat, they meant this threat.

He approved.

"Like I said, I'm not going to hurt her. But I hear what you're saying, and I'll keep it in mind. Now, if that was all..."

"Of course not. We're also here to school you in the manner of courtly-"

"Fuck," he groaned.

"-speech."

Correction. _This_ was the worst. At least with the eating lessons, there was food. At least with the dancing, there was Lucy. With this, it was all talking and bullshit.

"How do either of you know shit about what guys talk about at these things? Lucy's not a man, neither was your previous owner, her mom. Or yours," he nodded to Loke, "who from reputation, wasn't much of any sort of lady."

The goat stood up straighter, "You ignore the long history of our existence. The number and variety of people we have served would astound you."

"Capricorn is right, and our princess asks that we help you, so that's what we'll do."

So very difficult to remember that promise he made to himself not to complain.

So. Very. Difficult. But, then, she wasn't here to hear him.

"I hate this."

"Oh, we know," Loke grinned. And they began.

0000

He'd never been so glad to bathe in his entire life. Lucy's spirits were happy to have her return from her bath, and he was happy to take her place away from them in the bathroom, which was still warm and humid from her time there.

The whole room was filled by her and her presence. It was extremely comforting. She had used the tub, but he instead chose the shower. His own time in the bathroom was quick, but he relished in it. In the warmth and comfort. In the quiet simplicity of water. Of clean water and relaxation.

As quickly as he washed, he dried. Flashes of electricity burning away what stray drops remained on his skin after wiping down with a towel. The same was done for his hair.

He left the bath and found that Lucy and her spirits had gone. The room had been straightened from the mess they made while dancing, and the door to his room was left open. He could hear her breathing. Already half asleep, waiting for him finish and come to bed.

He did as expected.

"Laxus?" she murmured, her mouth half buried in her pillow.

"Yeah."

"We leave tomorrow. Morning. Early. Ready?"

"No."

"Me, too," she sighed.

He rolled over so that he could look at her, and then away. "We'll do fine."

"Mmm, yeah. That's what we do."

"It is."

"'Night, Laxus."

"Night."

0000

"Okay. Let's have a _birds and the bees_ conversation."

"Wait. What?"

Like it wasn't enough that he spent days trapped in that miserably gilded castle suite learning to dance, or that he was currently trapped in this fucking carriage wanting to puke up his fucking guts, now she wanted to talk sex.

"My first time-"

"WAIT. WHAT?!" He was sitting up, nausea forgotten (that nausea) with his hands raised between them like a shield.

"Ha! You should see your face. But, seriously, this is actually important, since girls are going to be attracted to you. Since we – young women of wealth – know we're going to be sold off to the highest bidder, girls, daughters get good at losing their virginity at these events.

"My first time was when I was fifteen in-"

"I don't-"

"Laxus! Shut up! … In the gardens with a guard at a baby-naming ceremony party. I chose him and the place carefully, so he wouldn't know who I was, and it wouldn't get back to my father. If Father found out, he would have been so angry with me. If he knew, others might know, and my value might be lessened in any marriage he could contract. I was very careful, but not all girls are that careful."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, if a girl invites you into a pantry and wants to have sex with you, and you with her, one: don't get caught, and two: please remember it could be her first time. Probably not, if you're the target, but it's possible. Please be considerate. She won't necessarily say, you know. She could be very headstrong and brash about the whole thing. She may not want you to know; she may not want you to treat her differently, but it would be nice of you to consider the situation. I'm just saying."

His mind was almost completely blank. Sweet Mavis, what was she making him listen to?

_Advice. Warning. Request._

This was all way too personal, and there was no way he was going to screw a society princess, anyway. None of it had anything to do with him.

"Never say never," she said, studying his face.

"This is already complicated as all hell. No need to make it worse." Laxus growled through clenched teeth, "And I am _not_ sleeping with a fifteen year old girl."

"Granted, but things aren't always as easy as saying them. I thought it was better to arm you with the knowledge unnecessarily than have it happen when I stayed silent out of concern for our levels of embarrassment. And not all virgins are fifteen."

"How long before we get to town?" he asked her, wanting like crazy to get off of the subject.

She grinned at him, "We won't make it to where we're stopping until near nightfall. I know a hotel we can stay at, but you're stuck here with me for another couple of hours. Deal with it."

"Remember how I wanted to beat that statement out of you a few days ago? What was it? Something about something. I can't even remember because it wasn't as important or as horrifying as this entire conversation. I want to beat this entire conversation out of myself."

She blinked several times before exploding in laughter. "You are such a drama queen, Laxus."

He decided to ignore her and go back to trying not to puke. Though, he did notice a faint blush along the line of her cheekbones and around the shell of her ears. She was upfront about the topic, but it had embarrassed her, too. He smirked.

What a weird thing to be brave about.

He heaved and put a hand over his mouth.

"Hey, you okay? If you're going to really throw up, stick your head out of the window! The window, Laxus!"

0000

"Why bother with two rooms?" Laxus asked Lucy, after they had checked into their very nice hotel.

She bumped him with her hip and put a finger to her lips, shushing him.

"Lady Lucy! Is that you?" Three men loitering in at the bar adjacent to the lobby had turned and were openly staring at his nakama.

Lucy put on a wide smile. One of those expressions that reminded him of Mira. Mira behind her bar. If Lucy put on a black dress and walked to the other side of that wooden table, it would be like going home. A chill crawled up his back.

"Magna, Char, Richard. How are you?" She walked to them, luggage still at the check-in clerk's desk, and motioned for Laxus to do the same. He followed her as she went to sit by the men.

Men of wealth. Men she obviously knew. Men he was almost certain to despise.

"Quite well!" Proclaimed the tall, dark-headed man in the center. Though it was still early in the evening, Laxus could almost see alcohol coming off of him in waves. No match for Cana, of course, but this man was no professional drunk. And he was in no way well.

"Good to hear, Magna. And you, two?" Lucy asked the others.

"Char's run away from home-"

"Hey!"

"-and I'm aiding and abetting." The man who had to be Richard proclaimed. Proud.

Lucy's wide, fake smile, shrank slightly and became more real. Laxus relaxed.

"Ran away, did you. Why ever would you do such a thing? You should be ashamed."

The apparent youngest of the group, Char, who looked to be around his early twenties, pushed Richard off of his bar stool to capture all of Lucy's attention. "I didn't _run away_. I just left a few days early. Thinking to spend a little extra time in town. I like it here. It's fun, you know? And home's a little... stressful right now."

"Ah," Lucy reached out a hand to rest on his shoulder. "Yes, I had heard that. I'm sorry. And it's no bad thing to take a break. Speaking of breaks! My friend and I," she finally acknowledged him, "Laxus, who I'm sure you recognize, only just got out of our carriage. We're both a little travel worn. We're going to run up and get some rest before heading out again tomorrow, but you three have a fun night!"

"Aw, come on! Have a few drinks!" Magna, who had had a few more drinks of his own during the talking, slurred.

"Thank you for the offer, gentlemen, but I must decline."

Laxus smelled a whiff of Lucy's power coming from behind the stair case, and Loke came around the corner to whisper in his ear.

"She's much too kind a person."

"You can say that again," he grunted back to the spirit. To Lucy he said, "Leo has the rooms ready. We can go up, now."

It took a lot of control not to just throw her over his shoulder and haul her up the stairs by force. It wasn't that he didn't like the way they looked or talked to her. That was no big deal. All men looked at her like she was medium-rare steak, plated especially for them. Evergreen, Erza, Mira, Lisanna, Cana, and all of the rest of the women he knew were treated the same way. His gramps was like that. _He_ had been like that.

It was fucked, and he got it, but he also got that he couldn't beat the shit out of every guy who acted that way. So no, it wasn't that. It was the aura of greed that rolled off of them like a fog of sickness. Like if they decided to stop looking and start taking, they wouldn't hesitate. There wouldn't be a pause for morals.

He knew that look. He knew that attitude. Knew it.

"Fuck," he said as they reached the third floor and started down the hall to their rooms. "I get why you picked me," he told her. "I get it perfectly."

"You're not like them."

"But I was."

She sighed. "Yes. Yes, you were."

"Worse. Because I actually did it."

"Yeah."

"Shit."

"Glad you decided to grow up and stop being a jerk?"

"Hell yes."

She grinned and pushed him into a door. "Me, too. This is your room."

"Again, what's with the two rooms?"

She slid her key into the door next to his and walked in without answering him. He shrugged and opened his own. Walking in, he watched as she opened an adjoining door, meaning their two rooms were basically one.

"Saw the fancy carriage in the lot. Figured there would be another group staying here and that it was better safe than sorry." She smiled while leaning on the adjoining door frame.

"You could have _said_ that."

"I was going to when we saw the guys, and then I thought I better not in case they were listening."

She was pouting. Or, rather, she was pretending to pout while trying not to laugh. It was genuine, all genuine, so he let it go. He was afraid to push the teasing like he had before. If he went too far, he might make it bad. Might make her sad. Now she was happy. This was the time to stop.

"Sure you did. Guess this means you're still going to be hogging bed space?" he walked over to the hotel bed which was about half the size of the one in the castle. "No orgies in this one."

"No what?"

"Huh?"

"You said something about orgies."

"I," had he? "I don't think I did."

"Oh, Laxus!" she said in her dancing-lady voice. "Exactly what secrets are you hiding, I wonder..."

"And that's enough of that shit. When's dinner? We ordering up so that we can avoid the asshole trio downstairs?"

Giggling, probably at his transparently awful change in conversation, or maybe still at the orgy thing, she stroked the keys on her hip. This time two lights appeared. Loke, and the funny-looking small one... Plue.

"Loke, can you go see what meal options are for the hotel? And if there's nothing interesting in the hotel, can you ask for a listing of what can be had for delivery in town?"

"Of course, Lucy. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Thanks."

Lucy picked Plue up and cuddled him before sitting in a chair beside the bed. Left with no other options, Laxus sat on the bed itself. In a hotel this nice, he guessed there were bigger rooms, but there was no need for anything so fancy or large as what they had in the castle.

So this felt a little claustrophobic after all that space. He'd gotten spoiled. He'd have to deal with it. Have to deal with suddenly being so close to everything. Walls. Ceilings. Her.

"We'll be there tomorrow," she said without preamble. Leaving behind pleasant thoughts of food and awkward jokes about beds large enough for group sex.

Having no answer for that, Laxus leaned back against the headboard and waited for Loke to return with something to eat.

She was nice enough not to pester him with eating rules that night. Neither did she make him dance. For the first time since he'd entered Princess Hisui's study, they took time to simply relax. She sat and read; he sat and listened to music. Meditating inside the protection of his soundpods.

Warm hours slipped by them before the 10 o'clock bell chimed from a large clock somewhere in town, calling them both from their personal realms of escapism, and back into reality.

They each prepared for bed, and even though this bed was not as big as the one in the castle. Not big enough for six. There was still plenty of room for the two of them, and enough room for them to sleep without interfering with one another. Without discomfort.

Or they could have.

"That guard," Laxus asked, calling himself a fool and worse for doing so, especially in bed, but feeling compelled to ask none the less, "was _he_ considerate?"

She answered without missing a beat, without the slightest hint of self-consciousness. She hadn't been lying before; her previous feelings of loss and loneliness had been so strong that she was willing to put up with anything remotely uncomfortable for the sake of simple companionship.

It made him want to hold her in comfort, because even if she was right next to him, she felt far away. It made him pay closer attention to her answer than he previously was prepared to. This mattered. She mattered.

"He didn't know I was a virgin, but I chose well. He was kind and handsome and not focused only on his own pleasure. If he had known, it would have been better, I think. I didn't know myself well enough to... _anyway_ , he didn't, but it wasn't bad, not at all. He'll never know how grateful I am. I had a friend married that year..." her breath was so heavy in the air, he could almost see it when she sighed.

"Bad?"

"It should be illegal what they're allowed to do! She was so shy and so well behaved. Proper. _Good_. Not like me. Nothing like me. Seventeen. Never broke the rules. Married off to a thirty-five year old man, who beat her that first night. I saw the bruises with my own eyes, and I found my guard. Even though I knew I'd never let myself get married to someone like that, I had to make that choice, just in case...

"He wasn't my best partner, but he was my first, and I'm glad I can say my first was special to me. And the gardens were beautiful that night. The sky so clear, the stars so bright." She pulled at the sheets, clutching at them. But she was smiling.

_Advice. Warning. Request._

He thought he better understood why she said what she did earlier that day. "Still say there's no way in hell it'll happen, but I get what you mean." He cleared his throat. "I'm...ah.. glad that...ah..."

She started laughing, and the bed shifted when she slid up to wrap her arms around his neck and shoulders. "Erza's right. You really are adorably awkward."

"... _Adorably awkward_?" he hissed, pulling at her thin arms so that she would let go of him and hopefully stop laughing at him. It pleased him that she laughed. It pleased him that she laughed _true laughter_. It was the _at him_ part he resented.

"Well, she usually just says _awkward_ , but _adorable_ fits, too."

"The fuck it does."

"You are most certainly right, Laxus. It fucking does. I agree. It's perfect. The Adorable Laxus and Freed with my adorable godbabies."

"Ugh," he grunted. "You only get one godbaby, remember? You said so yourself. Don't be so damn selfish."

"Oops! Forgot. Too excited. Don't tell Mira or Erza. They'd probably kill me."

Snorting, he used all four of his limbs to pry her off of him. Giggling and teasing apparently made her freakishly strong. "If _somehow_ Freed and I – good _god_ – were to reproduce – how the fuck am I even having this conversation? - it would be Evergreen you'd need to worry about. She'd slaughter every damn one of you."

"Yes, but surely she's more of an aunt, right?"

"You're making it worse. Which of us is she playing sister to?"

"...ew."

"Hey, you're the one who said it."

"I take it back."

"Thank shit."

"...ew."

"Let go of me and go to sleep, will you? Like you said, we've got a big day tomorrow."

"Hey," she tweaked his nose and he nearly broke her hand, "you're the one who started the conversation, bub. Don't blame me for your mess."

She rolled back over to her side of the bed, leaving his skin warm where she'd climbed over him, clinging to him with humor and joy. He thought he'd sleep well, despite knowledge of what was coming the next few days.

0000X0000


	5. Timing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the first house is reached, and the mission finally begins.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter 5

Timing

She enjoyed studying him. They hadn't interacted much during their time in the guild, so there was a good deal to study, and – as they were interacting a lot now – she had the luxury of time to do so. Dissecting the depth of emotions in the subtle change of expression made for a good way to pass the time, if nothing else.

He had a habit of looking at the world with heavy eyelids and a neutral mouth. Tired, uninterested, apathetic; it was the varying light in his eyes and tension in his forearms that made the distinction. That gave him away. That helped her to know him, outside of their rooms.

Where he let himself go and became the awkward boy he'd probably locked away when his father was kicked out of the guild.

Of course, during dancing practice, he closed down again. Which was good. She told him so. He needed to be his most stoic on the dance floor. "Your way to charm the ladies," she had told him, and he looked at her in a way that would certainly do the job. So intimidating, yes, but good goodness. The power. The control. If she were so inclined in that direction...

She giggled.

From the other side of the carriage, he glared at her. True, he wasn't as bad as Natsu, but he was clearly uncomfortable. Hiding his sickness behind a gruff exterior and slouching into his coat. Hiding in the protection of his soundpods. Poor child.

Basically, he was pouting. His mouth was also a tell, though not as clear. It was somewhat obvious to her while dancing. But the downward twitch of the corner of his mouth, indicating his irritation when he messed up a step, was so small that she doubted a temporary partner would notice.

Anger was in the flexing of his shoulders. Rage she saw only once, when he turned away from her. His back hunched and the muscles there tightened so much that he bent slightly. They'd been going back through the folder, reading case after case. Trying to find a pattern in the women who were raped versus the women who were not.

She thought he would break something.

He broke nothing that day. Their entire stay at the castle, and they left the place completely undamaged. The hotel they'd stayed at the night before, undamaged. Lucy was entirely unsure what to do with herself.

Most Fairies were so extreme in their emotions, especially their happiness, that his slight smiles were easily missed. It made catching them a special occurrence. It made receiving them a gift. Sure, so far she'd gotten all of like two, but wow. Unexpected! Not those cocky smirks, which were a more common expression, but the smiles. The true smiles.

Laxus was easily the Fairy Tail mage most popular with non-guild, non-magical women, and she was selling him on that bad-boy scowl, but Lucy could imagine one of those smiles sending the lot of his hordes of wannabe fan-girl harems into swoons.

She laughed at the mental image and got a full frown in response. He was transportation-sick, so it was to be expected.

"Pretty damn rude for a person to laugh at a sick person. Hell, a teacher to laugh at her student."

"Ah, but you're not my student anymore. I no longer take any responsibility for your dancing or your eating." His skin went faintly olive-colored at the mention of food, and she grinned quite evilly. "We should arrive to the house today in time to have a late lunch on our own, but dinner will be served with the full party. Expect a massive number of courses to celebrate the fact that it's the first stop of the season. Turn down nothing and eat as much as possible. As Elfman would say, _Be a man!_ It's one of those stupid dominance things. A healthy appetite will impress them. It is understood that great magic burns a large amount of energy. Eat. Just remember to do it politely."

He swallowed hard and stared so fiercely at the passing forest that she was surprised it didn't explode. "Anyone ever tell you you're a pain in the ass?"

"Huh? Of course not. Mama always said I was perfect," she teased.

"That would explain it."

His voice was gruff, and his glare was sharp, but the corner of his mouth was not turned down, and the muscles in his shoulders and forearms were as relaxed as they would ever be.

"Don't worry, Laxus. We'll be there soon. You can head up to the bathroom and puke right away if you want."

"I don't need to fucking puke..."

She rolled her eyes, "Mmm, of course you don't. Forgive me for even suggesting it."

"And I think we should worry..."

"What?"

"We're late," he told her, all signs of sickness leaving him as he focused more on the window. The sound around them changed as the wheels left the public paved road and moved onto the smooth-packed stone drive of the Mason house.

She lifted the curtain on her own window and twisted to look out, "We're not late. It doesn't..." She watched as doors were shut on a medical truck, and a driver climbed on the bench. The vehicle was flanked by local guards, and behind them stood a dozen servants, half weeping, half expressionless. All watching as they drove away.

"No..." Lucy breathed the word, barely able to vocalize. "No! Before even..." She tensed and then wilted. Lifting her face slightly, she whispered, "May she, whoever she is, find her way safely to the stars, and rest."

"At least we know one thing: The man is already here."

"Yes. And impatient. Barely three in the afternoon on the first day of the first house. Found at three, which means done sooner. We need to know if anyone arrived last night."

"How much damage? Could've been a quick kill." She wanted to moan, and his look was apologetic as he continued. "Could've been accidental. Might not be our guy. Maybe we're paranoid."

"Maybe."

But neither of them believed that. She didn't. He didn't.

"Loke. Gemini." She called her spirits, and they came to her. "We are approaching the gate. Are you able to act as our servants?"

"Of course, Princess."

"Good. Gemini, go for Lisanna's basic form, but in a simple dress. Like was discussed. I'll just need you to get the bags up. While the house itself is very large, the family is not all that wealthy, so they don't have many footmen."

Gemini did as asked and the remaining few minutes were spent in silence. When the carriage came finally to a halt, Lucy let out a whoosh of breath.

"Here we go."

"Lady Lucy Heartfelia. Mr. Laxus Dreyer." The short man who opened the carriage door had a deep voice and a sly smile. "Welcome to the house of Mason. If you will follow me, I will direct you to your rooms."

She nodded to him and preceded her large partner out of the carriage, hoping to set an example of behavior for him. As well as distraction from the combination of his lingering transportation-illness and growing energy towards the grieving servants to their left. The hair on the back of her neck was standing up, and she didn't think it was a mental or emotional reaction to events.

There was electricity in the air.

"Laxus," she made her voice soft and pleasant and not trembling and frightened, "will you help me?" Lucy paused and reached out a hand. The confusion on his face was absolutely comical, but it did break up his magic. It took a moment, but it finally came to him to lift his elbow to her, and she grasped it and together the two of them followed the short man into the large mansion.

Trying, and failing, to ignore those weeping people still watching the guard vehicle finally fading into the distance.

Her limbs were trembling. She was glad, for perhaps the first time ever, of the massive skirts she'd put on that morning, which hid the shaking of her legs. And glad for Laxus, who kept her standing upright when she would have much preferred to collapse.

Large doors opened without touch – a nice magic – or spoken command, and the small man led them inside. The place was huge. Large enough to rival the castle, and opulent enough to surpass it. The Masons were a family born from the construction business, so it was no mystery that their house was impressive.

"Lady Lucy," the small manservant motioned to the positively gigantic staircase to the right of the glittering entry, "a small suite of rooms has been set aside for you and your companion on the fourth floor. Will that be satisfactory?"

"The fourth floor?" she looked up at the high ceiling of the first floor and the implied height of the second, assuming the extreme amount of stairs she'd have to climb.

"Yes, Lady. I am very sorry, but most of the other rooms have already filled. There are single rooms on the second and third floors, but they are not connected, and when you wrote that you were coming with an escort, we assumed that you would like rooms that were together or connected."

Lucy lifted a hand, "Oh please, don't worry. Yes, I am very grateful that you gave us a suite. I am certain it will be most comfortable. I was just," she glanced quickly at Laxus, who was still a bit green around the edges, "a little overawed by the size of the place."

The manservant chuckled. "Yes, the Mansion can do that to people. Well, it was made to be that way, after all."

Together, the five of them climbed those four flights of stairs. Behind Lucy and Laxus, Loke and Gemini-Lisanna silently carried their luggage. Lucy tried not to grumble, climbing all those stairs in her heavy skirts and heels, and did what she could to disguise her faint – very, very, very faint – signs of breathlessness as the manservant handed the key to her.

"Thank you. Do you know what time dinner will be served?"

The man bowed, "The bell will ring at five until 7 for the diners to make their way down for the opening of the evening."

"Thank you again," Lucy acknowledged him with a slight nod. To her right, Laxus did the same. She pressed her lips together before smoothing her face in a pleasant expression. "Liz, if you could please go and request something refreshing to drink, um, _I_ ," she coughed, "seem to be suffering from a bit of nausea from the road."

She could hear the manservant chuckling as he left them. Yeah, Laxus wasn't fooling anyone. But, this time at least, it would serve them in more ways than one.

"Find out as much as you can," Lucy whispered to her spirit, as she curtsied and with hasty but graceful steps, and then passed the short Mason manservant to fulfill her orders.

She and Laxus stood watching for a full minute before he cleared his throat. "We should go inside."

"Yes. Yes. We should."

And still she stood.

"You have the key, Lucy."

His voice was so gentle.

Like sharp glass on water-softened skin, the words, the gentleness pulled and cut her. Hurting but drawing her back to where she needed to be. The door. Him. The door. The key. Him. The lock, the key, the door.

She opened it, and Laxus moved in front of her to examine the place. It was easily as big as their suite in the castle. Though the furnishings were older, and not as fine. The fabrics that slight bit coarser, which told the difference between the merely rich and the royal.

The difference that made these people, people like her father once was, so jealous of the crown.

"Loke, can you put my bags in the room on the left?" her voice was a hollow echo. A combination of the silence in the large room and her own buzzing ears.

"Of course, Princess." Loke bowed, and did as she asked of him, while Laxus attended to his own luggage.

"Beds here are a lot smaller," he called from the right-hand room. There was laughter around the statement, but even from the distance she had created to shield herself from the horror downstairs, she realized he was forcing himself to humor.

"Will I fit?" she called back. Trying to engage him. To participate in what he was doing for _his_ own distance. Or maybe he was doing it for her.

He popped out of the room with a smirk, "You did say you're okay with being on bottom. I think we'll fit."

She rolled her eyes. But that was a mistake. Rolling her eyes had her looking at their hall-door. And now she couldn't look away.

"It's a long time until seven."

"It is," he agreed.

She wanted to say something else. Witty conversation, as she was trained, to fill the silence of waiting. But there was nothing to say that wasn't hollow and uselessly false. So they waited in their emptiness for Gemini to return.

The quick knock at the door startled her, but Laxus called "Enter!" without hesitation. Lucy took that to mean it was her spirit returned.

And it was.

A meek version of Lisanna walked into the room carrying a tray of drinks and light foodstuffs. She placed them on the short table in the sitting area before the small fireplace before turning back to face them both.

"What did you learn?" Lucy asked the question. Bluntly. Ripping the bandage.

"She was a kitchen servant, a baker's assistant. The girl was a new servant, but not very young. She was in her mid twenties. No one could remember exactly when they saw her last, but they did know that she helped the baker with the morning pastries, and they were finished at nine. She was found in the ice room when the house was preparing lunch. There was a tourniquet, but she died of a broken neck. No other injuries."

"So... it was him. If there was a tourniquet and it was a servant at one of these houses, it was him. But," Lucy looked from Gemini to the floor to Laxus and back, "he screwed up? It was meant to take longer, be longer, but he broke her neck on accident when trying to put on the tourniquet?"

"Sounds right. We've seen the pictures; this guy can break a bone, no problem. Obviously it's possible. But he doesn't kill that way. For the bastard to screw up like this when the house ain't even full, yet..."

"Right. Right..." she stroked the keys on her hip, hidden slightly by a fold in her dress. "Right. Okay. Right."

"Lucy."

"Yeah. Right." She didn't look at him. Couldn't look at him. All she could see was a woman with a broken neck. Underwear wrapped around her throat. Knotted with a spoon. One woman like eighteen other women.

Nineteen. Nineteen.

"Right."

"Lucy."

"It's okay. I'm okay," she told him. Ignoring the ringing in her ears. Tapping her keys. Trying to steady her breathing. Because of the ringing, she didn't hear him stand and move next to her. Because she was focused on her breathing, she didn't see him reach out a hand. Because she was drowning in a place of internal, solitary fear, she was surprised when he pulled her to him.

She closed her eyes. Clinched her jaw so hard that she thought her teeth might break. She couldn't breathe.

Nineteen. Nineteen. Too late. Too late. Sweet stars, too late.

He was hurting her. His arms were too tight. He'd pushed his head down to her shoulder, she supposed to comfort her, and there was just so much of him surrounding her that she felt engulfed to the point of pain. It hurt. It hurt. But there were nineteen broken girls who faced pain far greater, and entirely antithetical to care.

She licked tears from her lips, and realized they weren't hers, that she wasn't crying. That it was him. That Laxus was the one crying. Remembered that it wasn't only her mission. That this wasn't only her loss. It wasn't a death that rested only on her heart.

She struggled to get her hands up from between them, but finally she was able to wrap her arms around his neck. Hearing him cry, tasting his tears, freed her somewhat. She tilted her head so she could whisper in his ear, "As soon as this party is over, we'll leave here early. We'll take a faster carriage. Next time, we won't be too late."

0000X0000


	6. What Cannot Be Avoided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the party begins and secrets about Laxus are revealed.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter 6

What Cannot Be Avoided

He wanted to run. He wanted to call every bit of his power to him and transport himself out of that stupidly large house – why a _businessman_ needed a house nearly as big as a _king_ – to somewhere deep in the wilderness where there were no people. No weaknesses. No one who could be hurt. No one he could fail to protect.

Her simple statement was the only thing that kept his two feet on the floor.

"That's in two days," his voice sounded strange. What do we do now?"

There was a pause. She was gathering her thoughts. He expected her to pull away, but she didn't. If anything she drew herself closer. Her breathing was settling, but there was still a hitch every five or six, and her heartbeat was erratic. She trembled, and her skin was hot, though that could be because she was absorbing his body heat.

"We rest," was her final answer. "Tonight at dinner we can learn who was here so early, and why, but until then, we have no real reason to leave our rooms. Unless you want to tour the grounds, but neither of us look up to that, right now. That would require bathing and a full costume change, which we're going to have to do for dinner. I suggest resting."

Since lightning travel would be noticed by literally everyone on site, resting was probably the best option. He agreed.

It took some effort, but he straightened his spine and backed away from her. She'd asked him to come along because he was strong, for fuck's sake, and here he was crying on her shoulder like a baby. Just like she said before. Damn. Damn.

He flexed his feet, settling in a wider stance and his hands still holding her upper arms in case she was in need of support, but she was … not fine, but she was standing on her own. She made him ashamed of himself.

Not that he thought of her as weak or that he resented her strength, but … damn, he was supposed to be stronger than this! The whole point of going away after Tartarus was to get stronger! To protect the things that were precious to him. And, sure, he might not have known that girl... but, shit, what did that matter? He'd taken the job to stop the killings, and she'd died. That was on his head.

It was a failure. And it couldn't happen again. It _wouldn't_ happen again.

"Never say never, Laxus," her whisper was loud in the quiet stillness. "Nineteen could so easily become twenty. I hope... but I have to also be rational. Look at us... we weren't even here, and he's breaking us... we'll fight him, and we won't accept defeat. But he's the one who murdered that girl, Laxus. Not you. You would have given your life for her, if you could have done so. I know you would have, because you almost did before. If there were any way you could have stopped it from happening, you would have. I believe in you."

"No."

"But I do. And you can't stop me."

Her dresses were going to have to be long-sleeved because his hands were so tight on her arms that there was no question he was leaving behind massive bruises. What she was telling him... what she was telling him was that there were going to be more... that there were probably going to be more, and that he shouldn't blame himself?

Impossible.

"I know," she leaned forward so that her face once again rested on his chest. "I know. I think it's bullshit, too, but it's the only way we're going to make it. What I said at the castle was true, every bit of it. I really don't want to do this. I don't like balls. I don't get along with the people of this world. The whole notion of this serial killer terrifies me. These girls break my heart. But someone has to stop it, Laxus."

"And you think we're it."

"I do."

"Fuck. All right, then," he pulled her to the small couch and did not let go of her even after they sat. "Talk to me about tonight..."

Laxus couldn't say if the moment helped or hurt him. He hadn't meant to lose himself. He'd expected all along to see another death, maybe even two. He saw himself comforting Lucy. Which is what he thought he was doing, but when he touched her heartbreak, he opened himself up to his own feeling of failure.

And he was filled with poison, all over again.

Together they ate and then actually parted for a few hours of time alone before dinner began. She was the one who suggested it, but from the tone of her voice and the softness in her eyes, he suspected it was all for him.

He appreciated it.

Though he wasn't usually a bathtub man, he chose to spend the time stretched out in the Mason Mansion suite's very large tub, letting the hot water relax the knotted muscles in his hips and back. Trying to work out a plan of attack; he wanted to be more than just Lucy's bodyguard and escort. He wanted to catch the guy before another girl was hurt.

"Laxus?! You need to get out so I can wash up! Loke's laid out your clothes on your bed so-"

He cut her off by opening the door. "All yours."

"Ooooh," she smirked, "a towel. Why so dressed up, good sir?"

He shrugged, "Guess the house got to me, but you're right; if I'm good enough for the castle, I'm sure as shit good enough for this gaudy stack of bricks."

He let go of the towel, and she choked on a laugh as he walked to his room in bare comfort.

Laid out on the bed were clothes he'd never choose to wear, if given the option. Too damn fancy. Slacks and a button-down, all he needed. This? One suit, only one, but it covered his bed. And Lucy said the Celestial clothing was _simpler_. Once again, he found himself baffled by the people they were spying on. He'd wanted power, once – still did, just of a different sort, and for different reasons – but he could never imagine that with said power he would decide to waste his time on _this_.

"Come on, Laxus," Loke said from beside him. "It's far and away better than that ugly animal print shirt you used to wear. What an absolute fashion disaster that was. This might be complicated, but it'll look good on you, and Lucy picked it out herself specifically for that reason."

Laxus looked at the Lion spirit who he remembered vaguely from his time at the guild, but who seemed much changed by his return to the spirit world. "I thought the maid chick picked it."

"Virgo offered Lucy a variety of choices, Lucy decided on this for you. It's cut to enhance, she said, the broadness of your shoulders and the narrowness of your waist, two things many men tonight will lack. The deep blue of the jacket will compliment your coloring. She said things about the pants, as well, but I feel no need to repeat them." He was smiling with the smug satisfaction only possible in cats.

Laxus' dislike of the clothing had dropped just slightly. And he filed away a few questions for after-dinner 'team' conversation.

Piece by piece, Laxus put on the clothing, careful not to tear the fabric that at first seemed so fine and fragile. But, upon closer inspection, he could tell the stuff was much stronger than it appeared. In fact, he was fairly certain it would work as armor.

"If I got it right," Lucy said from the doorway, "it should help conduct your lightning. Hold some of the excess to your body unless you want it dispelled, instead of zipping away in littler fingers of power, wasted. Not sure if it will work, though. But Virgo did what she could."

He slipped on the jacket, and turned to look at her equally fancy clothing that would look absurdly out of place where _they_ belonged. The dress, as he predicted, was long sleeved, though that might have as much to do with the season as the likely bruising. It was layered heavily, each layer cut at different lengths and angles, and at least two of the top layers having sheer fabric. It was blue and white and silver and a soft gold that looked more like moonlight than metal.

"And what does that do for your magic?" he asked as something to say.

"Gives me a place to keep my keys," she laughed, pushing aside several oddly cut layers to show a small hole, through which he could see the glitter of keys and the pale, softer texture of skin.

He nodded. "Good. Don't want you going in there unarmed."

"Me, either."

The bell began to ring.

Five minutes to seven.

The call to dinner. The call to begin.

Or, so it should have been, if death hadn't preempted the main event.

"The house isn't going to want a bigger scandal than four years of murder," Lucy assured him as she straightened various bits of his clothing, before taking his arm and pulling him out of the door. "They won't seat you next to anyone who will try to start trouble. You'll be fine."

"Worried about me?"

"Maybe a little."

"Don't. You're right. I'll be fine."

"Just get them talking. The more you can learn the better. No matter what it is, it could help."

"You've said all of this before. Lots of times."

"Yes, well." She sighed, stretched, and slapped her cheeks, "Okay. Okay, Laxus. Let's do this."

Her smile was a big, bright lie, but it was a well delivered forgery. Probably no one would be able to tel. Except him. Him and the other absent Fairies, so here it was only him. And he saw, He saw her lie, and it gave him some measure of hope. She could do this. He could do this. They were safe. _She_ was safe, despite the killer.

0000

"Your performance in the games was masterful," the young man seated across from him proclaimed. Praise was boring, but easy to handle. The boy was eighteen years old, but with the energy and maturity of one a decade younger. "When you delivered that uppercut to Jura – BAM!" he mimed a similar movement, "I lost my shit-" all of the young women surrounding them huffed. Laxus suspected it was less in outrage over the curse and more in jealousy that the boy commanded the full attention of their section of the table. He was entirely too energetic.

For all that Laxus had been the boy's topic of discussion since the first course was laid, Laxus himself had yet to get in more than the odd grunt. If he didn't miss his guess, he thought the girl on the boy's left was about to stab him with her fruit fork to shut him up.

Laxus approved of this. His ego didn't need the praise of a childish aristocrat, especially when it kept him from doing his job.

Lucy was having what seemed to be less luck at the far end of the table. She was placed exactly as she expected with older men and a few hard-faced women. The women, for the most part, ignored her. The men, when she talked, watched her with gazes angled too low to meet her eyes or watch her mouth.

Breaking them, Laxus reminded himself, would get them nowhere. Lucy had planned for this, expected it, _needed_ it even. No, breaking them, beating them would get them nowhere, but the way they looked with that air of _right_ so close to ownership reminded him that _any_ of these men could be their killer. And that if Lucy were not so famous and powerful, were she not in public, everyone one of those men would force the issue.

So was their killer one of those old rich bastards looking at these young rich girls that they'd have to, according to Lucy, spend months – maybe years – in negotiation for before they can get their hands on them? Frustrated spending hours with what he couldn't have, he'd go downstairs and take what he could.

Would make a sick sort of sense.

Would also put even more burden on Lucy.

"What do you think, Laxus?" the boy asked him, though he hadn't been paying any attention.

A quick glance for the women around them showed their glazed eyes and lack of attention had also missed the question.

Great.

"I couldn't say," he answered, hoping it would fit, and thinking it probably would. None of what the boy had said thus far was really about him, but about the boy's feelings and the boy's opinions. Likely he just wanted reinforcement, but Laxus wasn't about to agree to something he didn't hear.

"Huh," the boy deflated. "You were my last hope."

Laxus blinked. "Why?"

"I asked all the others, like I said."

"Ah, well then."

Laxus was starting to think very positively about the idea of dancing. He'd complained to Lucy about dancing more than dinner, but it didn't occur to him that there might be safety in dancing. No one would make him dance with the annoying boy.

Maybe he'd encourage Lucy to, as payback. For something. Being here in the first place? Sure. That worked.

"You didn't come for the hunting this morning, Mr. Dreyar?" the oldest woman – he guessed around mid-twenties – seated at their section of the table leaned forward to ask. She did so, he assumed, to show off her chest. In a different setting he might have told her it was a waste of time. Most of the women Laxus grew up with had a better rack before they hit eighteen.

"I'm not much of a sport hunter," he told her instead. Since insulting a woman's breasts (or calling out her blatant flaunting of said underwhelming breasts) was _probably_ not on Lucy's list of acceptable dinner conversation topics.

"Really?!" the boy butted in, practically shoving the woman, who had only barely managed to get one single sentence in, out of the conversation. "I'd think you'd be excellent at it!"

"Maybe. But I make my living hunting dark mages. After you hunt evil, what sport is there in hunting meat?"

He almost snorted at the boy's wide-eyed stare. Bullshit, of course. Laxus did more body guarding and … other jobs ... recently than he did dark-guild hunting, and he often hunted for his own food, but the kid didn't need to know either of those things.

"Why _are_ you here?" the boy asked, which perked up the many bored listeners. He suspected that was the awkward, not exactly polite question they were all hoping the little brat would ask.

Servants were taking away the remains of the some sort of salad that had followed what he had to admit was really good – _really_ good – lamb, and replacing it with serving dishes covered in all kinds of cheese.

He saw that Lucy was still eating. _He_ was actually starting to feel the effects of the food, how someone as small as her or all these girls in or just out of their teens could totally-not-eagerly dive into yet another round of food was beyond him.

He did as they did, and answered the question between bites of – again, admittedly very good – food.

"Lucy wanted to come. She'd been invited by someone, but didn't want to make a pest of herself traveling with them. And she doesn't really like traveling alone. Not always safe, and she's not exactly built for strength and self-defense. She messaged a few of us Fairies for an escort, I was free, so here I am. Easy as that."

He'd noticed early on in the meal that several of his seat mates, not only the women, seemed _unfond_ of Lucy. As she expected. He thought the occasional drop of casual criticism of her might go far to earning him some trust, or at least more open honesty when slightly drunk.

Lucy wouldn't mind him calling her a pest. She'd laugh it off. Or kick him. Both, maybe. Probably. These folks didn't know that.

"Are you liking your first big house party, then Laxus?" the much more endowed, very much younger girl on his left asked. He'd managed so far to ignore this one as being slightly creepy. She reminded him too much of those stories Lucy told of marrying girl-children off to old men.

"This one just started. I don't make judgments on so little." The girl, who couldn't be much older than Wendy, which made him want to hurl his very-good-cheese and his very-good-wine into his very-expensive-plate, shivered at his expression. He softened it and looked up to the others. "You all do this every year? Is it always the same?"

They seemed happy to tell him of parties past. He was happy to let them. Nothing they said really felt important, but it meant he didn't have to talk, and small blessings were big blessings in some situations.

0000

She was trapped in a corner by an old man. He was drunk. She wasn't surprised. There was etiquette to an after-dinner brandy that the man seemed uninterested in following. One of those was in the _amount of brandy_ consumed. He had far exceeded that amount.

As drunk as he was, as close as he was, as heavy as he was breathing in her face, _she_ would be drunk before she managed to break away. He was a waste of her time. Neither he nor his offspring had made the tour the previous year. They had been abroad, spreading their (wife/mother's) business to the Empire.

But, as long as he was acting in such a shameful manner, the rest of the guests would avoid them. Leaving her to suffer. She was in this alone, and it could not be solved with a simple knee to the groin. No matter how much she might wish for that.

She was about to laugh and go for the charming blow off, when some of his inebriated rambling caught her attention.

"-your mother. Always liked her." A wet chuckle that smelled like barrel rot. "That golden hair, glowing like it did. Those tits! Shame she was stuck with that old stick."

Blinking at the oddly poetic followed by the more commonly lecherous, Lucy successfully managed not to break the troll disguised as a human man. Knowing she'd thought worse things of her father, Lucy kept her temper in check. "Well, as a bit of a brittle log, yourself, sir, I'm not sure how you would have been the better option."

"I," he huffed, "never lost my fortune."

"My father," she laughed the way glass shattered, sharp and fast, "lost his fortune to grief. And regained it in less than seven years. He worked his way into wealth as great if not greater than yours _twice_. In his own lifetime. You're a second son who married into wealth. If you must, though, continue to lie and attempt to convince yourself that you – lazy, entitled, _worthless_ – are better than a hard-working man, who so loved his wife that he was changed, shadowed so completely by her death."

As he struggled to process her smiling hiss, she curtsied and slipped around his bulk to freedom. Questionable freedom, but better than the corner of hell he occupied. Looking for safety in numbers, she worked her way around the secluded areas of the room, where she had been trapped, going for the delicacy table, where she expected to find Laxus hiding. She thought she might take a brief respite with him, who was likely suffer... sufferin...

Suuuu... what the _fuck_?

Maybe she _had_ gotten second-hand drunk from that old alcoholic. Otherwise Lucy could see, not so clearly, but she _could_ see Laxus seated in an alcove, shadowed by night and dim lighting, next to a young woman. A Domino, if she wasn't mistaken. Wealth shifted year-to-year depending on trade and other market factors, but the Domino family was always among the top three wealthiest in Fiore. For the last five or six generations.

So yes, there Laxus was. Sitting with a young Domino daughter. But that wasn't what shocked Lucy into stopping. He was _supposed_ to talk to women. The look on her face? Amilia Domino's apparent sparkling adoration? That wasn't a shock either. Lucy'd seen that many times before in the eyes of women surrounding her old guild-mate. She expected that, desired that of all women near Laxus. Seeing it would have made her rub her hands together and chuckle in calculating glee... if not for the shock.

It was _Laxus_ who shocked her. The softness in his shoulders. The way he leaned toward her, but slightly. Only slightly. Subtle.

He whispered something that trembled on his lips. As if he hesitated. Uncertain. Nervous. And Amilia's milk-white hand rose to cover her throat as she blushed. Lucy, not even having heard him, not even being _near_ him, found that for some _stupid_ reason she was _also_ blushing! What the hell?!

He stood to leave, and Amilia reached for him. He smiled, ran a single finger over the inside of her wrist, causing her eyes to flutter closed, and then fled around the corner and away, while Miss Amilia Domino was still mid-swoon.

Lucy's jaw was on the floor.

Seriously. What the hell was that?

Gruff. Brooding. Aloof and slightly scary. The _scar_. Those shoulders! _That's_ what she was selling him on! What the hell was up with those lips, huh?! And that whole wrist thing? What was that? What the _hell_ was he doing?

Her first impulse was to follow him, but there were other old, alcoholic men she had planned to talk to... damn him.

She turned away from Laxus' escape route and the sight of Amilia (yet to recover from … whatever it was he had done to her), back to that crowd. Those numbers. Something about safety.

...what the heck. How did she used to do things like this?

0000

She managed, by virtue of being far less popular than him, to beat Laxus to their rooms at the end of the evening. She undressed, bathed, and slid into their not-as-glorious-as-the-castle's bed with a sigh just as he walked in the door and began tossing off clothes left and right.

"Learn anything?" she asked from the safe confines of her pillow. Trying not to sound as snarky as she felt. She needed to sneak up on him. She needed him not to guess that she saw what she saw.

"There was a hunting party this morning. Other than that? Not a damn thing," he growled. "You?"

"Maybe. No one was willing to talk about it of course-"

"You actually brought it up?!" he exclaimed from the bathroom, his words muffled by what she guessed was a toothbrush.

"Vaguely. I tried to talk about what I might be able to do for them. As in money making propositions, which they would understand. Reminding them I was a mage, in a roundabout way, used to hard work."

"And?"

Her body temperature raised and her heart thudded. Embarrassment, Laxus suspected, and anger.

Ah.

"They can't have been too, uh, vulgar about it at _dinner_."

"Not at dinner," she said, "but I was cornered a few times after. During brandy."

He walked into the bedroom in all his nude glory, and she remembered to look the other direction. Not that _he_ cared. More than likely, he was amused by her reaction, but he had been right that first morning. She was, in a lot of ways, forcing herself. But she had been right, too. She truly didn't care that he was naked, even if she suspected he was doing it now just to tease her, as long as he was there.

"Sorry. I didn't see."

She didn't snort, but she wanted to. How could he have seen her? He, after all, had his own job to do. Which he was doing absurdly well... she held her tongue.

"Not your fault. It was expected. Wanted, even. I was able to get a few out to a point where I could ask enough questions and Crux could get enough information from them that I can rule out all the men I sat with tonight and three others besides. That's six out of the 53 men still on my list at dinner tonight. So 47."

"Two I was with are too young," Laxus added.

"Forty-five." She touched the keys on the nightstand, "-the Southern Cross, Crux." A floating cross, with a mustache appeared. "How many men can we rule out, excluding those Laxus and I already have to age and absence that you know of?"

"Thirteen, Miss Lucy, from the party, which limits your larger list. It seems that many wealthy Fiore families declined to attend this year."

"Thirty-four," Laxus muttered. "Didn't come because of the killings?"

"I couldn't speak to their motivations, Master Laxus, only that many whole families have not accepted invitations the last two years."

"Or stayed only briefly," Lucy said. "Some of the men told me their married sons came for that hunting party you mentioned, but declined to stay for dinner or the ball, preferring to take their pleasures – and to room – in town."

"Their wives?"

"Some stayed home with children; some are still here."

He just looked at her, and she sighed.

"Yes, yes, I know."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. And rich men are hardly the only ones to cheat on their wives. Or wives on their husbands as there are probably a few ladies happy to have their husbands away. These _are_ arranged marriages, remember?"

"Trust me," he drawled, "I remember."

"Any guesses at this point?"

"I'd say one of the younger guys. I thought older, first, but it's just all so sloppy for men of wealth to risk that wealth on the territory of another."

She thought of the drunk asshole. "A young son, however, who hasn't had to work for it... Yeah, I had a similar thought. And with the murders being so recent..."

"Right. You think you know who?"

She glanced up at him, then back down. "The boy you were seated with, his name is Hanrae. His elder brother, Brath, entered society the year before the murders started. His behavior tonight was … odd. He doesn't match as someone I'd dance with, age or rank, but I'll work him in."

"I'll try to actually pay attention to the brother," Laxus grumbled.

She laughed. "I noticed you were struggling. A fan?"

"That's one way to put it."

"I thought you'd be used to that. You've got a team of fans."

"Not the same."

"True." She turned on her pillow to look at him. His eyes were closed and he looked very near to sleep. She found him to be more open in bed, the closer he was to unconsciousness. This was the time to ask. "Did you discover anything else?"

"Eh?" his eyes cracked open slightly before closing again. "Nah."

"During brandy? You didn't talk to anyone? Anyone sweet, young, _longing_ for you?" she was grinning at him when he realized her point and tensed.

"No."

"Liar."

He glared, but there was enough sleepiness in it to soften its harshness, even if she were afraid of him. And she most certainly was not.

"I sense I'm missing part of a story, here, and I _hate_ that."

"Well," he smirked, "sounds like you're going to have a rough night, then."

She leaned in close. He could hear her whisper from the other room, if he so chose, so a whisper at his ear would be a scream, and she would enjoy it. "I can make your life hell, Laxus. I can influence who dances with you. I choose the clothes you wear. I can provide mailing and other contact information to your little fanboy to contact you when the season has ended." He was still smirking; she frowned. "What did you do to Amilia Domino?"

He pushed her back into her own pillow half smothering her before letting her go.

"Men have their secrets."

She looked at him. Looked at him, and pulled away.

"...no. No. No...! Ichiya!?"

He laughed, and she thought she might find herself as weak to him as Amilia Domino had. Which was absurd, since she knew better.

He laughed louder. She slapped his absurdly large shoulder, which he probably didn't even feel.

"I thought you knew where I'd been."

"I knew how to find you. I knew how to get in touch with you! No one said you signed up to be one of Ichiya's harem!"

"Now, hold up, that's not what happened." The laughter had completely stilled, and he was almost cold with fear. She could see the ice in his eyes, and it pleased her.

"Is it not? Because, thinking back now, your performance was very _Tri-men-esque_." She tried not to grin too much. Tried not to smirk. _Tried_ not to show how much she was enjoying his discomfort.

But she was very much enjoying his discomfort.

"We just decided to hang at Blue Pegasus after Gramps left. They've got a solid guild-"

"-and lots of lovely ladies that hang around the guild all of the time, eager to be plucked up by all the men so carefully trained by Ichiya-san or -sama or -sensei, whatever... You don't have to explain Laxus," she made her voice sweet and smooth, "I understand completely. And this makes you an even better choice than I first thought! So many roles you can fill. It boggles the mind! It's good that you were part of Ichiya's _harem_ in this case," she tried to hide her inflection on the word, but saw his eyebrow twitch.

Damn.

"Entertainer. Not part of a fucking harem, you damn pest. The guild calls them entertainers."

She blinked at him no small number of times, completely unable to tell if he was teasing her with this or trying to be serious. "Lots of people call them entertainers, Laxus. And, hey, if innuendo is your thing, that'll work well here. Bluntness..."

She thought she might die laughing when he pushed her off of the bed onto her ass. It's not like she wanted to be cruel to him, but it was just so _funny_. She could imagine him as the Ichiya for his own set of Trimen (Bi-Men, Plus Evergreen... HA! _Bi-men_ , she killed herself...), and it fit so perfectly that she pulled a muscle in her side trying to breathe through the hiccuping insanity that imagination had made of her.

Eventually, she felt him pull her back up on the bed. "You need to shut the hell up before I zap you into a coma."

"Oh, oh god! Ha! The vulnerable bad boy... I mean _you_ are, but I never thought you'd play it out in public like that. And so beautifully. Granted, Amilia didn't take much, but still! To see it from you, like that? Ah, ah, what a wonderful little gift on such a terrible day." She wiped tears from her eyes and coughed to try and clear away the last of her small bout of mania. "But, really," she reached up and tugged on his forelock, "well done, Laxus. I knew you were the right choice."

"Me or Gajeel, right. I remember."

"Well, if his singing was any better... maybe we should send _him_ to Blue Pegasus for a bit, eh?"

He snorted. Rolled over. Rolled back. Looked at her. "It's not really worth shit, but seeing it from this side, it's good you called me out."

"Oh, is it?"

"Yes."

"And why would that be? I mean, besides the Ichiya training, which wouldn't be new information for you."

"You were right about Freed not being the right kind of person for it, or none of the others. I got what you were saying before, about the ego, but I got it even more tonight."

"Images of your past coming back to haunt you over and over and over again," she suggested.

"Something like that."

"Join the pity party, bub." Lucy turned onto her back and looked at the ceiling. "You know, I'm pretty sure I've been in this room before. Maybe the season before I ran."

"Your room? Or is this you trying to tell me another _guard in the garden_ story I absolutely do not want to hear?"

"Oh, Laxus, you know you enjoyed that story."

"Bullshit."

"You even asked about it later. All sweet and caring like. It was very, very charming! I must say, I will certainly be paying Blue Pegasus a visit after this. Normally I'd avoid it like the plague because... well, I'm sure you know the because, but! Just look at what it's done for you! Miracle workers."

"Hahaha. You're hilarious, Lucy. Look at me laugh."

"I don't think laughing or that form of sarcasm fits your character type, Laxus. Ichiya-sensei would be disappointed."

"Do you want me to kick you out of bed again?"

She reached out to latch on to his wrist. "Won't happen. If I go, you go."

She was still looking at the ceiling, but she could hear the grin in his voice, and it gave her chills. "You think I can't pry your hand off of me?"

"Mmm, no, I know you _can_ , but I don't think you will."

"And why is that?"

"Because you don't want to."

"How do you figure?"

She yawned, "Well, you're here, aren't you. Or I am. Because you want me here, or you want to let me be here. Something like that. Please stop flirting with me, now. I'm not a professional like you. I'm too tired to keep it up."

"...so many things I could say in response, but I'll let you off the hook this time." She felt him pull the comforter up higher, and resettling her pillow. "Let go of my wrist, Lucy."

"Nah," she flexed her fingers slightly adjusting her grip while snuggling into the comfort of the nest he'd built up for her, "I think I'll stay like I am. Don't want you getting' any ideas and tossin' me out on my ass on a whim or nothin'."

He might have responded, in fact, she was fairly certain he did, but she couldn't decipher it. The sounds into words into meaning. All it was to her was safety and peace.

And she slept.

0000X0000


	7. Dancing with Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which people dance with other people, and Lucy faces her past.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter 7

Dancing with Demons

"I was here with Mama..." Lucy whispered as they stepped out onto the winter garden where an outdoor breakfast buffet was laid out. The two had woken early, and decided to rise early. Lucy sent Gemini-Lisanna out and discovered that very few people were awake, but that food was fresh and available for those who were.

Which worked for them.

But, when they actually made it outside, Laxus was afraid she'd pass out. Breath wouldn't stay in her lungs and her heart stuttered wildly. All at the sight of a snow-covered hedge maze.

"When?" he asked, reminding her that he was there. Alone, he would have touched her, but there were people here. People eating. People watching. Watching for Lucy to screw up. He could see the hunger in their posture, the lust in their eyes. It's not that he _hadn't_ believed Lucy when she'd complained about how vile these bastards were, but damn they had some serious problems.

Too goddamn early for this shit.

"When I was... I don't know... five-ish I guess?" She followed him to the food, not stepping away from his shadow. She calmed. "I didn't remember that. I wonder why we were here. Father was not in a close business relationship with the Masons, and we were never close personally."

"Maybe a party, like this one?"

"Most parties don't include five year old children. You'll find that even the hosting house will send their children away during festivities. It's better for the kids that way," she smiled at him, and it was bright; reassuring. He must have looked upset. Odd, since he hadn't felt upset. "Dunks, late night music," she laughed and leaned in close, " _sneaking around_. It's a kindness to send the kids to a neighbors house for two or three days during the party, and then leave them with housekeepers or another family while you're on circuit."

"Then maybe _that's_ what you were doing. Maybe your mom was taking you visiting some place else because your dad was throwing a not-for-brats party at your place."

"Huh. That's possible."

They sat down at a table near the maze, but still within the area of magical warmth created for the buffet diners, to eat. "Why'd you recognize the hedge and not the stupi... I mean, very, uh, distinctive entryway?"

"Oh! No, I recognize all of the house. I've been here several times before. I just never remembered that I'd come here with Mama. I guess because most of the times I came here weren't in winter, or if they were in winter, there wasn't snow. Mason house wasn't a regular stop for the winter social season when I was in society. But when I came with Mama, there was snow. Just like this."

"Makes sense, then."

"Yeah." She was smiling and looking around with a sort of wide-eyed wonder that made all the horror of the previous day less jagged. "It's beautiful."

He grunted, more interested in eating than in cold leaves.

She laughed, "Well, at least I was right about the food. The food is good, yeah? Honestly, you should treat me better. I'm going to send a message back to Ichiya and tell him you're a complete disappointment. I need a new model. Who is the next level upgrade from Laxus?"

"Maybe ask for Bixlow," he suggested. "Not quite Gajeel-level bad boy, but he's exotic..."

"Mmm," she tilted her head like she was actually considering it. In fact, looking at her, she really did look like she was actually considering it! "He's probably a touch too erotic for a place like this."

"Bixlow."

"Mmm."

"Erotic."

"Mmm." She smiled into her rabbit omelet, flavored with mint and any number of other spices. She seemed very happy with it, but he figured she was overselling it a bit. It was good, but it wasn't _that_ good. She was playing him.

"Bullshit."

"No, really. I assume he's gone through some of the same training you have. And he'd have the visor off and the wardrobe change; though, the tabard is quite striking, in my own opinion. Still, Bixlow in a suit... mmm, yes. That sounds nice. His build is very good, as is his facial shape. With the visor off, very sharp lines, attractive features, or at least many women of station consider them attractive. Well," she motioned at one a pair of clearly hungover middle-age men walking in who were anything but sharp, "everyone likes what they can't have, I suppose. Of course his eyes are extremely unique, which is intriguing."

"Get to the tongue, Lucy. You know you want to bring that up."

Her chuckle was low, almost husky. It surprised him. "Yes, well. If he could keep it in his mouth until he got a girl into something resembling privacy..."

"Erotic."

"Indeed."

"You're a pervert," he said with growing alarm.

"It's catching, apparently. I must have picked it up at the guild." She chuckled again, "Or it's just another way I'm dealing with the withdrawal symptoms. Missin' all you old perverts, gotta act like it a bit myself for the familiarity."

"Hey, don't lump me in as an 'old pervert'. That's Gramps and Macao and Wakaba. Got shit to do with me."

"Oh, but Laxus, you're like a junior member of that little club. You're like Team Pervert's Romeo."

"...don't even know how to respond to that."

"Because I'm right."

"Not sure that's true so much as you're spouting a whole lot of crazy, but there's a whole lot of people coming down the stairs right now, so I think we should probably change our topic of conversation," he finished his statement in a fast whisper while she snapped her eyes to the side. The door leading to the stairs was behind her, so she couldn't actually see, and was too smart to do something as obvious as turning around and looking.

"We'll need to split up this morning. Divide and conquer, Laxus. I'll wait for people to start eating, then I think I'll take to the maze."

He looked at her, really looked at her and that half-mad glint in her eyes. They were shining with an emotion he didn't recognize, and he didn't trust her with it.

"Not the best idea."

"I want to see what happens."

He frowned, " _I_ don't."

"Well, you won't, will you? Because I want you to go running."

"You want me to _what_?"

Her grin was sharp as hell, and if it wasn't evil it was as close as it could be for a girl as nice as her. "I want you to exercise, Laxus. I want you to sweat. If this were any other place, I'd want you half naked, but I can only ask for so much."

"Peeervert..." he whispered, far too quietly for anyone but her to hear.

"This time, not so much. I'm looking at impressing the men among our crowd," she murmured as the tables near them began to fill. "After breakfast and before lunch, there is supposed to be some sporting for the men, hunting again, which you already swore off yesterday. But look at you." She waved a hand at him, and – as if she somehow commanded him – he did as ordered and looked at himself. _What the hell_!? "You must keep in shape somehow. So, Mr. Dreyar, _exercise_. And do so in someway that will make the men stop killing poor, semi-domesticated game and instead fawn over you."

"Sounds boring as fuck."

"Sounds like your every day. Just pretend they all have long green hair, sweetheart."

He glared at her, but it didn't seem to have any effect.

"Running isn't going to impress anyone."

"So rip trees in half or something, I don't care." She pushed away from the table nodding to someone behind him. "They'll pick up the plates." She grinned at him, brushing her hands on her skirts to straighten out the bunched fabric. "Do as you're told, Mr. Dreyar."

She sashayed away from their table, straight towards the hedge maze, without even a glance back in his direction. He wasn't at all sure how this made sense in light of how they'd been telling everyone he'd come as a _bodyguard_. Why in the _hell_ would he leave her alone like that? Of course, he was more a bodyguard for the road, than for the house, but _still_.

Every instinct told him this was not going to turn out well. But he also knew that Lucy wasn't wrong with her divide and conquer point. They had abilities to reach different groups of people. He, like her, stood up from the table and went back into the house. His casual wear was in their rooms. He wasn't going to exercise in anything fancy.

0000

Lucy walked along the path slowly. Taking her time. Enjoying the cold air and the quiet groan of the thin layer of snow under her shoes. Or she wanted to enjoy it. She would have enjoyed it. Anywhere else. Anytime else. But she could almost see ghosts floating in front of her. Two. Two women.

The dead servant girl.

Her mother.

There was, if she recalled correctly, and Lucy was pretty sure she did, a fountain at the center of this maze. Like on their home property. The closer Lucy walked, with each foot placed, each step made, the memory grew stronger.

Mama dipping a key into a crack made into the ice. Her musical voice calling out a name that hurt to even think. A face, a figure appearing. Snapping at them for the weather, the temperature.

Because she'd always been a bit temperamental.

A left. A right. Left again. Down a long frosted, ever-green corridor. And there it was.

Lucy couldn't help but laugh when she saw it. White stone basin. Rim barely a foot and a half high. White stone, beautifully carved statue. Of Pisces. The twin fish.

Mama had possessed a good sense of humor.

Lucy sat down on the cold rim of the fountain and dipped her hand in the water. It was cold, but not yet frozen. It hadn't been cold enough for long enough, or maybe there'd been a spell placed on it in recent years to keep it from freezing. Though, she couldn't sense any magic.

She sat there, looking down, hand in the water for what felt like hours. Her hand went numb; her mind. Serenity filled her, and for the first time in ages, there was some sort of comfort in her blood, no matter how cold.

Though, if she were honest, those two ghosts – the woman, her mother – had been joined by a third. But she wasn't honest. She couldn't be honest. She ignored her ghosts and looked back at the water.

Lifting her hand out of the water, finally, she studied it. The blue veins. The shivering from cold her nerves were obviously responding to, but her mind wasn't processing properly. She wasn't cold. She was warm. Her heart roared with heat.

She closed her hand into a fist. Opened it.

With that wet hand, she lifted a long necklace from around her neck, its pendant – Aquarius' broken key – hidden always inside her clothing. She slid the gold key from the silver chain and held it to the water.

"I know it's broken, but I wonder if you can tell. If you can feel it. If you have any sense of it. We were here, do you remember? You, Mama, and me, when I was little. I don't remember why, but we were. The fountain has an image of Pisces. Isn't that hilarious? I miss you very much-"

She heard a crunch and voices from inside the maze and pulled her hand from the water like she'd been burned. She managed to return the key to its chain and the chain to its place around her neck before they joined her at the maze's center.

"Lucy Heartfilia; I never thought I'd see you return."

Lucy turned away from the fountain to see an extremely tall woman arm-in-arm with a man somehow taller. Neither looked particularly pleased. Maybe they had expected an empty maze and a good place to flirt – or whatever – in private (which was _stupid_ considering how easy it was to get to the fountain and the fact that you could see it from at least a quarter of the Mason Mansion's rooms), or maybe they were particularly unfond of her.

She bet money on the latter.

"I never much expected to return, either, but I have the time, now, and it has been one-to-eight years since I've seen so many people. The world is a changed place, Kattia. Bendi," she nodded to acknowledge the man, who had yet to speak.

The look of dislike, true dislike on their faces did upset her. Kattia was – had been – her age. As much of a friend as one could have friend in _this_ world. Bendi wasn't much older, and he had been kind to her, before.

There was nothing kind about the two in front of her. _Hostile_ was a good word for their expressions.

"We want you to leave."

"Wow. That's nice. But I'd rather not."

"There is no way you're enjoying yourself." Kattia was angry, and it showed. Lucy remembered how, when they were younger, Kattia used to be scared of society. Made sense that it would translate into anger as she aged. Especially considering her family. So Lucy sort of understood.

"In fact, I am, a bit. _This_ ," she brushed a hand over the air between them to indicate their current situation, "for example, is rather amusing. You are wondering what I gain from being here. The real question should be, what do I lose? Nothing. So why not? I have an opportunity, why not take it?

"However, I have a question of my own: What do _you_ gain by telling me off like this. Are you gaining favor from someone by acting as their mouthpiece, or was this done on your own? You do it in secret here, because you believe to do it in a more public place would cause you to lose face, meaning you believe I have some level of support..." she grinned at the shadows in Bendi's eyes. She'd hit a nerve. "Are you truly scornful, or are you hiding concern behind masks? Genuine hate? Jealousy? I'm captivated by the possibilities. So many mysteries in one short meeting. At least, I assume it is short. I am done." She looked from the woman to the man, but their expressions were unchanged.

"Why has the man come?" Bendi asked.

"If by _the man_ you mean Laxus Dreyar, he has come as a guard. And a friend. I have those now, friends. Not myths, like we thought. Not lies. But gifts."

"Friend? Please," Kattia scoffed. "I'll not have you bring a lover to my father's home, Lucy Heartfilia. If it weren't for his fondness of your father, I wouldn't allow him to bring _you_ into his home."

She laughed, bitter and hard. Both of them stepped back, and Lucy was reminded of her power, of the power she had as a mage. As a Fairy Tail mage. But she wasn't here as a mage, she was here as a _lady_. As an extension of Her Highness, Princess Hisui.

She let the laughter die, and replaced it with a tight-lipped smile.

"Kattia, you are a pretentious bore, and your father is an adulterous lech who came on to me last night after insulting my father and reminiscing on my mother's, as he called them, 'tits'. I'm not sure I'll make it to your house. Six of six, I thought I might be too tired before I arrived. Now, I might just get there early and spend a month under your sanctimonious hospitality." She stood from the fountain and brushed off her skirts. "Now, if you two will excuse me, I've other matters to attend to, and other – more interesting – people to speak with."

"No one will speak with you, Lucy," Kattia hissed as she passed. "You ran away, debased yourself, looked down on society, and think you can return to _gold dig_? The only people who will stoop to speak to a creature like you are pigs after cheap whores."

She chuckled, "My goodness, Kattia, what language. But, as I said, I'm not interested in your father. And I'm not here to gold dig. Have a good morning. Bendi," she nodded again, and then left.

Struggling to breathe.

0000

When she returned to their room, she smelled like ice and pine. Despite the fact that he had just come out of the shower, skin warmed, and there was hot fire going, her stepping across the threshold brought in a chill that Laxus couldn't quite describe.

"How did the running go?" Lucy asked him when their eyes met. The question was perfunctory, and her eyes was distant. Had he not stepped in her line-of-sight, he wondered if she'd have said anything.

He stretched and sat on the couch, motioning for her to sit in the chair, which was closer to the fire, so they could talk properly. She looked uncomfortable. "I did as ordered. The younger guys gawked a bit, but it wasn't as distracting as you hoped it would be."

"Did you break trees?"

That morning, she would have laughed. Joked. Now? It was simply stated. A question. Nothing more.

"Didn't think it would go over well with the landowners. I just did a general workout."

She shrugged, "Well, I'm sure that was plenty impressive."

"Do you?" her manner was disturbing. "Too bad you weren't there to watch."

"Mmm, too bad."

Her back was straight. The tips of her fingers were blue.

"Lucy."

"Ah?"

"What's wrong?" he asked. He wanted to crawl off the couch and get in her face. Pressure her. He wasn't good with timidity.

"Huh?" she looked up at him as if only then realizing he was there.

"You're being ... weird."

"I'm sorry. I'm tired. And anxious about tonight." She ran one of those blue-fingered hands through her hair, "Dinner is one thing, but dancing is different."

He thought about their talk the night before. Of what she'd said of vulgar old men and brandy.

"What happened this morning?"

"Met a few more people who wondered at my intentions. Gave them the usual answer. But they seem unsatisfied with the answer. I added a bit of personal insults to sidestep the suspicion."

" _Personal insults_."

"Sure," she yawned. "I think I'll get ready now. Or start to."

"It's still like five hours until seven o'clock, Lucy."

"Dinner will be at six, tonight, lasting probably an hour to an hour and a half, with the dancing beginning almost immediately after. So only four hours."

He rolled his eyes, and watched her as she walked to her room. Her steps were confident enough, her shoulders straight. Her long hair, which she had let down, tied back with a black bow swaying. Despite looking as she should look, even from behind, he saw that some of the light that had brightened in their short week together had dimmed in just one morning.

What the hell had happened in that hedge?

0000

Out of her luggage, she pulled a small packet of pages. Sorting through them she separated out a set of small images and returned the papers to the bags. Lucy sat down on the bed she hadn't slept in to look at the pictures of her mother.

They were old, now, and her favorite was the oldest of them. It was faintly yellowed at the corners, but it was still obvious how beautiful Mama had been. Her corn-silk hair tied high on her head and wrapped in pearls. Pearls also decorated her ears and throat. The pink and cream ball gown fitted to her arms and torso, then belling out at her hips, showing that even after having a child, she was fit. And beautiful. So beautiful.

And in this place, Lucy was haunted by that beautiful woman. Haunted by her, and by those who remembered her. Haunted by her father. Lucy picked up the next picture, this one of their family. Father, Mother, and a little Lucy. Smiles on all three faces. A time she couldn't even remember. The house in the background wasn't their house. She didn't recognize it. They had been visiting Father's business friends.

Haunted. She was haunted.

Lucy looked back at the picture of her mother, and saw what she might look like in another ten years. Those eyes were so similar to the ones she saw in the mirror. Though, her lips weren't quite as full. She had her father's narrow lips. And her hair didn't have the natural wave. But, when people told her she looked like her mother, that was the greatest statement anyone could make about her, besides simply saying "you _are_ a lot like your mother." She didn't just want to _look_ like her, Lucy wanted to _be_ like her in every way. That loving kindness. That internal contentment. The smallest of smiles radiating joy to any who saw her.

Every single day, Lucy missed her.

Her mother had given her so much. Even her magic. Even her keys.

She touched a silver key, smooth, and comforting. The magic was so familiar that she didn't even need to call before Plue appeared at her side, cuddling to her, silent, trembling. Knowing, as he always did, that she needed him.

She wrapped her arms around him.

Her hands played over her keys. Her keys. Her mother's keys. Her keys. And she stared at the photos. At the haunted walls.

"Open the Gate of the Goat, Capricorn."

"Master Lucy, you have need of me?"

"Yes, Capricorn. The first ball begins tonight in about two hours. If you could, I would like you to give Laxus a quick refresher on basic dances and etiquette."

"Of course, Lucy. I can ensure that your escort will excel among the elite in your company."

"Thank you, Capricorn." She gestured at a chair, "Please, stay."

While he waited, Lucy sat Plue down on the bed and checked her wardrobe, forgetting that she had yet to call Virgo for her clothing. Hers or Laxus's.

"Open the Gate of the Maiden, Virgo."

"Punishment, Princess?"

She repeated her needs to Virgo, and watched as the spirit vanished, taking clothing to her partner and then returning with a soft, rose-colored dress made especially for her.

Lucy looked at the picture, "You made it similar to Mama's dress. It's beautiful, thank you."

"Of course, Princess. It was no problem."

"Please," she pointed at a second seat, "stay a little while longer."

Virgo sat and exchanged glances with the goat spirit. Both uneasy at the expression on her face, and the darkness that shadowed her eyes.

"Open the Gate of the Giant Crab, Cancer."

"Lucy, no!" Capricorn was standing as Cancer appeared in the room.

For the first time since Lucy met him, Cancer's expression was not calm. Before he could even speak a greeting, she felt Capricorn trying to leave for the spirit realm.

"No!" she said, holding up a hand. "No. Stay. Please. I want to try. Let me try."

"Lucy-sama."

"Princess."

"No! Cancer, please, stay. I'll need my hair done properly. To match the dress. So you have to stay." She smiled, though it might have wobbled, then raised another key, ignoring the protests of the spirits around her. "Open the Gate of the Scorpion, Scorpio."

Scorpio wavered before fully crossing his gate to stand in her room.

"We are unhappy, Lucy. You can't do this. You don't need five gates open. You have to-"

She interrupted him, almost swaying. Surrounded on all sides, Plue's small paws on her calves. She tried to stand strong, and there were hands supporting her.. "Scorpio, I need to tell..." she hesitated. "Need you to tell her..."

"Lucy!" a flash of light showed Loke had come to her. His own power. Had to be his own. "Lucy you have to stop doing this! Close the gate! Close any gate."

"Force gate closure," she gasped, "Leo the Lion." His form had barely dissolved when Lucy called him back. "Open the Gate of the Lion, Leo."

"Lucy! Six! You can't do six! _You're killing yourself_!"

She ignored him, focusing on her blurred vision on Scorpio. "Tell her, please, that my mission. She's been here, I think. I know. I remember. There's a fountain. A fountain with a statue of Pisces. Mama called to her in winter. Tell her that, I am again... I have..." She looked at the dress; the photo. She looked at the walls. She remembered the voice of an old man who stunk of brandy demeaning her parents. "That I get to dress like Mama." Tears filled her eyes. Flowed down her cheeks. God, she felt sick. Cry baby. Cry baby.

What was she doing?

She just wanted to see her. That's all. Just to see her.

_Who … who..._

She needed to see her.

"Leo!" Capricorn screamed, "You're the strongest of us! Close your door!"

"You think I haven't been trying?!"

She could feel Loke's hands on her shoulders, but she could only see one spirit.

"I'm going to wear dresses and dance like Mama. I'll be graceful, I promise. Tell her... tell her, please Scorpio, tell her I love her." Lucy fell to her knees, gasping.

"We are." he promised her. "We are, but you have to send me back." There was so much pity in his voice, she almost broke.

_Almost. What a lie._

Loke had his arms around her. So much like that time, when she... "Lucy, you have to close them. Lucy. Lucy, listen to me. Scorpio will tell her, he's promised. Now, close the gates."

A crack accented the sounds of Loke's pleading. She couldn't make sense of it.

"Open-"

"Lucy, _no_!"

"-the Gate of-"

"You are making us kill you!" he sobbed. "Are you going to make us live with that sin?!"

She swallowed forgetting who she was calling for. Unable to recognize the symbol on the key in her hand. A body put itself between her and Scorpio. She couldn't see … couldn't tell...

"That I love her, and someday I want to meet her again," she was saying, but it was her mouth talking. Nothing to do with her mind.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Laxus," Loke pulled away, and her body felt chill. "She's holding open too many gates."

"Why the hell would she-"

"We are needed to go back, if we are going to tell her, Lucy," Scorpio's voice was measured, and there was a shadow of his usual smile on his lips. "If you want me to tell her."

"To … tell her … go back to her... a date?"

"We are, yes. A date."

"Oh," her eyes closed and her head rolled back. Loke held her again. "I get to dress like Mama. I'll be almost like Layla Heartfilia, tonight. Graceful. Virgo made me a dress, even." She closed her eyes. "I put her key in the fountain, today. The fountain with the statue of Pisces... but maybe don't tell her that. Tell her I miss her. I miss them both."

Her skin tingled, and the magic in her burned.

"We are going to tell her, Lucy."

"Thank you," she sighed. "Close the Gate of the Scorpion."

"The rest!" Loke demanded. "Close the rest."

From a chain around her neck, Lucy pulled a broken key base from under her shirt and held it close to her mouth. "Open the Gate of the Water Bearer, Aquarius."

"It _won't work_ , Lucy!"

"I know," she coughed. "I know. But sometimes I try, just in case. She's my family, and sometimes all I want is to see her. Just to see her."

"She's a free spirit now, Lucy. She's safe. She's okay."

"Yes. Yes, I know."

"Princess."

"Lucy, ebi."

"Master Lucy."

She shivered. "I know. I know. I just... This place, and Mama. I can't explain it, Loke. She … she was … back then … she was my first friend. A gift from Mama. Everywhere I turn, here, I'm reminded of Mama. She loved Mama, so much."

"I'm glad you had her, then," Loke held her closer, his lips against her hair. She felt calmer.

"My strongest friend," she whispered.

"And she and the Spirit King passed that strength on to you, in your time of need. That proves she was closer to you than she has ever been to anyone in her existence. She loved you, too. Never doubt that," Capricorn's expression was soft. "She is still part of you as long as you remember her. Never forget that, lest you malign her gift."

She sniffled ( _cry baby, cry baby_ ), "I'm sorry Capricorn."

"Do you need me for the boy?"

She heard _the boy_ snort.

"No... I don't. He's okay at dancing, now. I'm sorry. I lied," she covered her face with her hands.

"All I wish for in this world is your health and safety. We won't leave you. I am always honored to receive your call, but there is too much fear in you. It makes our bond and our crossing unstable. You're putting yourself in unnecessary danger. Trust in us. Let us do what we most want to do. Serve and protect you.. Please, close my gate."

She nodded and did as he said..

"You will need formal hair style, ebi, but it will become messy if I fix it before your bath" Cancer almost bowed to her. "I will practice on Gemini, and then you can call me thirty minutes before you leave."

"Thank you, Cancer." She sucked in air, and put a hand up to Loke's cheek. "Close the Gate of the Crab."

"Princess," Virgo did bow. "If the dress is satisfactory, and the man is also outfitted, then I can also leave. Punishment?"

Lucy stood, with Loke's help, and wrapped her arms around the thin maid. "No punishment. I'm sorry. So sorry. Thank you for helping me, Virgo. Close the Gate of the Maiden."

She was left with Loke standing by her, and Plue still shaking at her side.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I was being a baby." Pressure squeezed pain into the soft tissue of her heart and lungs. "She would yell at me if she were here."

"We just want you to be safe, Lucy. We all love you too much to let you hurt yourself in this way." Loke bent to kiss her cheek. "Laxus is waiting on the other side of the door. Which he broke."

"He what?!"

"Don't get mad at me," she heard his muffled voice from behind the – exactly as Loke said – broken door, "I heard yelling. What did you think I'd do?"

She blushed and put her hands back over her face.

"I will admit," Loke pulled her hands away, smiling, "what you just did – though stupid – was impressive. You opened, and held open against struggling for closures, six gates. Five golden key gates and one silver. And did so for an alarming amount of time while emotionally unstable. We'll work on it when you get home, Lucy. It was stupid, but it was amazing."

He leaned forward to touch his forehead to hers. "As Scorpio carries your message to Aquarius, I will carry this story to her and all the others. I understand that you miss her – Aquarius, your mom – and you miss so many others from the guild, but please, please don't let it drag on you so much without help. Anytime you need anything, call me. Call any of us. That's why we're here, Lucy."

"Thank you."

"Please, close my gate." He raised his voice, "I trust you'll take care of her until then."

"Of course," Laxus grunted.

"Remember to call for me so I can take down your bags. And since Laxus is known to have an attitude, maybe send me down to get him breakfast instead of having him go downstairs with the others. Better have them question why he sleeps late, if you want to get out of tomorrow morning's breakfast."

"I agree. Thanks again, Loke."

"You're always welcome, my Princess."

"Close the Gate of the Lion." She looked down at her faithful, carrot-nosed companion, petting his head "What about you, Plue. Would you like to stay, or go?" The dog stroked her hand and then stepped back, fading into a cloud of sparkles.

There was a long silence before Laxus finally re-broke the door so that he could face her properly. "My dancing is better than okay."

She gulped, thankful for him. So thankful for him.

"Don't flatter yourself. Okay is generous. But your general _appeal_ will make your dancing mediocrity overlookable."

"So I can't flatter myself, but you can do it for me?" he grinned. "I can accept that."

"It's not flattery, Laxus, it's honesty. Don't let it go to your head, though; anyone can be attractive, dancing takes skill." She looked at the door, "...if Virgo can't fix that then gossip is going to have some very interesting things to say about the two of us."

"Gossip can have at us," he smirked. "I might not be all that skilled at dancing, but when it comes to other things..."

She rolled her eyes. "Get out of my room, Team Pervert Junior. I'm going to take a bath. Don't bother me."

"Lucy," he hesitated, and she reached out to brush a finger over his wrist, much as he had done with the girl the night before.

"It's okay. I'm okay. I just freaked out a little. Go listen to music, or something, while I take a bath."

It took him a moment, studying her, gauging her, determining whether she truly was safe with herself, but, honestly, not that long of a moment. She would have done the same, in his situation. He wasn't babying her, and she was grateful for that. When he left the room, she slouched and put her face in her hands. Not crying, not wanting to cry, just feeling tired.

She felt so heavy. Bones like lead, skin like armor. _Heavy_. She thought of Gajeel and wondered that he could move if he felt like this all the time. Even knowing this feeling was emotional, even knowing that the cause was external, didn't help.

With no other options, she gathered her things and went to cleanse her demons in the bath. Water and warmth as her best sanctuary.

There were still hours before she would have to descend into a sparkling hell in a pink dress and heels.

0000

"Why are you here, Lucy?"

She really hoped they would stop asking her that question soon.

Lucy recognized the man who approached her for the first dance. He was a contemporary of her father, and – if she remembered correctly – dealt in lacrima.

Jaxon Trant. Her newest interrogator.

"Why does anyone do anything, Lord Trant?" she replied as she took his hand and stepped into his lead as the music began.

"Money," his voice was sarcastic. His grip was tight.

She laughed, "I was going to say _survival_. But they're much the same thing. I'm considering many different paths my future might take, and while this is a very unlikely one, I decided there was little harm in taking a few weeks to explore the possibility." She smiled up at him, "And the refreshments are excellent."

It was obvious that Jaxon did not trust her, which was fair. It was a surprise that he was the first person to dance with her. She wondered if it had been planned. He was among the most important of the men in the room, and he was also the only man whose business was connected directly to her chosen profession. Though he was married and technically too powerful to give her his time, he was also probably the best to judge her and determine whether she was allowed to continue the tour.

"Would you be interested in restarting your father's company?"

"It is one of my thoughts. Before I came back from Tenrou and he died, Father left me a message." Granted, it had nothing to do with his business, but there was no need to say that. "I would be proud to take up the name he made and continue it through my life. But I'm aware that I'm no businesswoman. So it is a consideration, but I'm not sold on that as a future path. I can't forget my time or bloodline as a mage, which I am also proud of, and it is a _personal_ pride. My own pride."

Lucy watched his eyes clear. He manufactured and distributed magic supplies; reminding him of her connection to magic, and her pride in that was apparently all she needed to connect to him.

"You have become a remarkable mage of your kind."

"Thank you, sir." She gave a small curtsy timed well in a turn so that it did not disrupt their dance. "Not that there's much competition among celestial mages any longer," she muttered.

"That doesn't matter. Though, the loss of so many celestial mages is tragic, the number of them does not lessen your achievements. A mage could be the last one left and be unremarkable for any other reason. The keys must be found, the mage must be powerful enough to call them out, to keep them out, charming and companionable enough to form bonds, and so on. You are, by reputation, highly skilled in all of these areas, and thus remarkable. Admirable."

She was blushing to a point where her skin almost hurt. "Ah, well..."

"If you chose to stick with magecraft, what do you think you might do?"

"Not join a guild," was her quick and decisive answer. "I'd feel like I was cheating. I could solo, or work under contract somehow. I was contacted for a bodyguarding job two months ago, and that went well. Maybe something like that. I've done some work for magazines, which I like, but doesn't require the use of my magic." She blushed, again. "I'm sorry to ramble. I'm boring you, I'm sure."

"I asked the question. Well, Lucy," the song was coming to an end, "if you're interested, I always like to get good mages working for me. Better mages equals better products."

"I'll certainly keep that in mind, Lord Trant." She dipped her head in a show of respect, and he pulled her close enough to kiss her cheek.

"Take care. I hope you enjoy your time among us, even if this is not the path you decide to follow."

He turned away, and another man stepped up to take his place.

"Lord Maxwell."

"Lady Lucy."

And they danced.

0000

Laxus watched her dance. He wasn't supposed to; he was supposed to focus on his partner. His partner wasn't her. He wasn't supposed to, but how could he not.

After Loke's warning? After seeing her picture and that dress? After dinner and watching those people around her glare at that dress, at her hair. At her.

Shun her? She said they might shun her. Good god, they were a thin line away from spitting in her face the moment she walked in a room. They treated her like trash. Base. Unworthy.

Except for those men who danced with her.

And it was hard, because those women he led around the floor, they weren't the killer. Laxus was certain that the killer was male. Lucy might be open minded, but he was not. The sort of torture those dead girls faced was the sort of torture men pushed on women, nine times out of ten. Not that women pushed on other women. Which meant one of those men with their hands on her waist had his hands around the neck of a corpse the day before.

How could he not watch her?

Lucy knew all of this, of course. Yet, she spoke to those men as if their bile and filth left no mark on her. As if she were completely free of fear.

But she wasn't, and he knew it, so he watched her. Which did not exactly please his dance partners. Not that he really gave a flying fuck, but Lucy would. Lucy expected him to do better.

"Mr. Dreyar," the young woman an inch away from being pressed against him called for his attention. She was, Ama Leaville. Not especially wealthy or esteemed, but her family was well-regarded. He guessed twenty years old, but almost as small as his little script mage guild mate, Levy. He was sure they looked stupid as shit together, but – according to Lucy – she was friendly with her servants. More likely than the others to give a damn.

"Yeah?"

"You seem troubled. I don't wish to... intrude on personal matters – and feel free, of course, to leave me without an answer! - but would you care to confide those troubles in me?"

He looked at her overlarge violet eyes. They were knowing, but not malicious. He thought it might be a question worth answering. He thought she might be a person worth feeling out.

But he'd been quiet a moment too long.

"Does it concern Miss Lucy? I noticed you looking at her."

Again, Laxus studied her. He observed that while there was no warmth in her voice when saying Lucy's name, there was also not the disdain he'd come to expect from the others around them.

So he gave into impulse and instinct (and Lucy's information) and talked with his dance partner.

"I was hired as an escort and bodyguard," he made his voice a low rumble, as if telling a secret. He opened the hand around her waist so that it covered the whole of her back, bringing her closer. "Easy money, I thought, and good food on top of it." He allowed a small smile to change the contours of his face, and slid his hand up her back a fraction of an inch. "Perhaps good company. No downsides to the deal. But-"

He frowned. Turned that open, warm hand into a fist against the small of her back.

"But?" she was almost breathless.

"There was a murder yesterday. A _murder_ , which means this place isn't safe."

He glanced back up at the blond, easily spotted as the only hint of pink in a sea of blue and white, red and green.

"It's safe, now," Ama told him, her voice no longer soft or in modulated tones.

"What do you mean?" Laxus' whole body tensed, waiting. The men before had asked if he hunted, and he'd brushed off their talk of tracking and killing game. _This_ was the sort of hunt he did as a mage.

When he felt her shiver slightly with hesitation, he was careful with her. Soft. "Tell me. Please."

"Now that there's been a death, everyone else is safe."

"...what?" He absolutely did not like the way she said that. It sounded … ritual. Sacrificial.

"Happened the last few years," she pulled him, dancing as masterfully as Lucy had, away from the floor as the music swelled from climax to falling action, in a swirling, dizzying race to its end. She took the lead from him, and directed them into a hall away from the rest of the dancers. "One person dies. Every time. But only one."

"Why..." he stared down at her, knowing that without previous knowledge of this horror show bullshit he'd be speechless. "Why does _anyone_ come? If anyone can die."

He wondered if she'd say the things Lucy's character said when they playacted at the castle. Wondered if he would loathe this tiny slip of a woman as much as he did that fictional creation

"Show of strength... and to try and prove it isn't you, I suppose. My uncle, who is my escort this year, was very harsh with my father. He believes if you don't go and a murder doesn't happen, it will make you automatically suspect."

"But then," Laxus countered, "if you don't go and a murder does happen, doesn't that free you of guilt?"

The woman chuckled, "You could sneak in and murder without anyone knowing you were here. A murderer wouldn't be above hiding! And what if it isn't the same person? Could be lots of people..." She looked over his shoulder as if afraid to continue.

"How many? You said it was only one and a few years... three? Four?"

Farther and farther down the hall and away from the dance floor she pulled him. He fought off a panic attack at having Lucy out of his eyeline. This woman was going to be very good for them. This is what Lucy wanted him doing. Lucy was doing what she needed to do. No one would kill her in the middle of a ballroom. She was safe from harm there.

Safe from physical harm there.

Safe from _death_ there.

_Fuck._

"Close to twenty, I think," Ama was answering his question, and he was struggling to pay attention. "I haven't kept count. Don't want to, and we're not supposed to... I don't know where all this happens. Does it happen in the summer tour? My mother isn't from Fiore. She's from Joya; she lives there still, and we spend our summers there. I don't visit anyone in Fiore in the summer. If it happens then, no one talks about it. Just like no one talks about how it happens here, now, in the winter. So it could be twice the number I know.

"Does it happen in noble houses? My family doesn't have the level of wealth or influence needed to go there! But the Dominos do. The _Heartfilias_ did. This could be happening everywhere all the time. All I know is that once one person has died, everyone else is safe."

He growled and pulled her small body close to his, hiding her and her story away from any and all prying ears and eyes. "What you're saying is that _everywhere_ you go, you worry you'll be killed? And so now I need to worry about Lucy. And myself. And you, too."

"Well," she was blushing, "no men have ever died that I know of."

"Only women? Young women?"

Her nod was shaky. And he knew why, but he wasn't going to force it out of her. She had to tell him. He wanted to know how she'd phrase it.

"So, I'm safe, but I still need to worry about Lucy. And you, Ama."

"Pr...probably not... so... so far the dead have only ever been from... have only ever been young women working in the houses, not visiting guests." She was blushing again, but this time there was shame in it.

Good. He liked her better for it; though, he couldn't like her much.

"You... you go to _parties_... where _you_ are in no danger, but those poor folk who care for you face _murder_? Where at least one, no question, dies? Why aren't there only male servants?!"

She had pushed away from him, now. No longer looking up. Not able to look him in the face. He appreciated that she knew it was wrong, but in his mind, if she knew it was wrong, she should _do_ something about it. It made sense that the shallow bastards didn't do shit. They didn't care. But if you cared? You did something. You acted.

"It's cruel and stupid. And maybe even evil. But my brother took sick last year and is no longer going to be able to run the business when Father passes. He will most likely die _before_ Father does. And Father doesn't trust me to do it on my own. So I must marry. And it must be someone suitable. There was almost a match, last year, but it fell through because of... well, that's not important. The point is, two years ago, I didn't come. Last year, I didn't want to come. This year, I screamed; I begged. I cried. But I live at the whim of my father. He holds everything dear to me. So this year, though I screamed, and I cried, and I begged, I still came to this awful place.

"But I came without servants. Any servants."

He put his hands on her shoulders and was silent for a long moment. Eventually, she did look up at him. Laxus moved his right hand to her cheek. "At least you're trying. There are so many women here, serving food, cleaning the rooms. Now that I know this, I can think back, and I know in the last two days I've seen no small number of working women in this house. _Why are they here, if everyone knows, Ama_?"

"I don't know. I don't know. I don't know."

She lied. To him. To herself. Because saying, ' _No one else cares_ ,' was just too awful.

"Let's go back," he told her, hands returning to her arms, directing her back towards the ballroom. "People will have noticed we're gone. Wouldn't want to drive off your suitable husband."

"No," she whispered. "Wouldn't want to do that."

He clinched his jaw and stayed perfectly silent before releasing her onto the ballroom floor. Wishing, guiltily, that he was still the man he had been when he plotted against Fairy Tail. That man wouldn't hurt for Ama Leaville. That man wouldn't feel a terrible driving need to whisk her away, to comfort her. To offer her safe haven with him.

Safe haven he could never provide. Because he wasn't a Blue Pegasus mage, not really, and his words could never be perfumed clouds of meaningless flirtation. He wasn't great at saying things he didn't mean. Since his exile, a great desire to protect had swelled up inside of him, greater even than guilt or pure ambition. Ama so clearly needed protection, but it wasn't the kind he could provide.

With his arm free, he walked to the side of the room with the wine bar, his eyes sweeping over the room, looking for a spot of pink and gold. He caught her spinning in the center, a man close to his age and extremely tall with his hand around her waist and cold eyes narrowed as he spoke to her. Between the loud music and the conversation of all the people who surrounded him, Laxus couldn't hear what the man said, but the neutral mask on Lucy's face, and the tight scorn of the man's lips left no secret to the tone.

He barely covered a scowl with a glass of wine, when he felt a hand on his elbow.

"Mr. Dreyar, may I have the next dance?"

He forced a smile as he made a quarter turn, "Bold, Amilia. Approaching me like this." Unlike the older, wiser – if sadder – Ama, Amilia's eyes were simple and open. Bright and hopeful. Her ears were pierced with strings of diamonds that dangled down to brush her bare shoulders. He touched the diamond curtain so that they played over her skin, and her eyelashes fluttered. "You, yourself said your family would not approve of me speaking to you."

"It's just a dance, Mr. Dreyar."

"Maybe. Maybe." The song ended, and he took the young woman's hand. "Then let's dance, Amilia."

0000

She had beat him upstairs again, and was already asleep. Already asleep, tucked into what he was beginning to consider "his" side of the bed, by the wall. Usually, she came in and slept on the outside, a trend started that first night in the castle when he moved over to make room for her.

Honestly, that was probably why he woke up smothering her most mornings. He'd feel safer – more comfortable, that _she_ was safer – if he was between her and the door.

It threw him off that he was on the "wrong" side. And it wasn't like he minded how he woke up...

He slid in beside her, disgruntled by the fact that she was already sleep. By the fact that he'd had almost no chance to talk with her during the day. No time in private with her. He hadn't realized how much he enjoyed it, when the rest of his day was filled with so much bullshit.

Disgruntled by so many things. By the tang of salt that clung to the fabric and sunk into the not-pleasant odor of feathers in her pillow. There were countless reasons she could have to cry in this hell-hole; it pissed him off that he hadn't been there for her, no matter the reason.

No sense of her magic, either. She'd been alone. Completely alone. Maybe she wanted it that way, or she'd have called her spirits. (Remembering their afternoon, it could have been about her spirits.)

He was an alone kinda guy, so he could understand a need for time alone. He got that. But she'd been there for him before. Well, it was sort of mutual, but if he was honest, she'd held him up just then.

He'd return the favor, and be glad to do so, if she'd let him. She shouldn't _have_ to cry alone.

Felt weird, sleeping on the outside. Weight on his left arm and hip so he could face her, see her; though, she was turned away from him, and all he could see was the back of her head.

Her hair was tangled, a mess of sun-colored knots. She'd let it down, taken out the string of pearls, but not bothered to brush it. What skin he could see – shoulder, throat, ear – was pale. Bloodless. He inched closer, certain she was cold. He didn't touch her – Laxus didn't, not in bed, consciously, not when she was already asleep like this – but being close to her felt better.

He hadn't been there when she cried, but he could do this, now. And maybe it would help.

0000X0000


	8. When Time Breathes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which they take time between Mason and the next house.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Eight

When Time Breathes

"We don't go by carriage," Laxus said. "I'll teleport us there early, and we stay at the closest town."

Lucy disagreed. "We need to leave by carriage. It's not that people _can't_ know your powers, but I would prefer to keep every advantage we have secret if at all possible. Speed, your speed, is one of those advantages. I suggest we at least take the carriage part of the way."

She expected him to argue with her. Especially since she knew how much he hated transportation, but he'd been so calm, tame, that it had worried her. She'd woken that morning feeling lost. Simply because she'd come-to unsquished. He'd gotten out of bed before her. Gotten dressed before her. Ordered up breakfast. Had everything prepared and ready to go.

Lucy felt lonely looking at him as he nodded and agreed to her plan.

It was probably just her.

"I'm familiar with the next family." She kept speaking because she didn't know what else to do but fill the quiet. "Three sons. None of which I'm fond of."

"I meet any of them here?"

"No, not the way you kept to the ladies," she flashed him a small, unrequited smile. "But you met one at the hotel. Char. The runaway. He and one of his older brothers were at the hunt and the dinner the first night. The eldest, Bendi, was here the entire time with his wife, but neither Char or Runnar stayed; I assume they used the excuse that they needed to help in their own house's preparations. We can't rule them out."

He nodded again, expression thoughtful. "Eat, then we'll head out in that carriage."

While she quickly consumed fruit and yogurt, and dressed, Laxus sat patiently. While Lucy said her goodbyes to the Lady of the house, Laxus stood patiently. And while the carriage pulled out of the drive, Laxus leaned against the window, patiently green.

At noon, Lucy released the carriage driver, telling him that they'd stay the day at the small town they happened to pass, and pick up a train. Now, a train was not the preferred method of transportation of the wealthy elite, but as the carriage driver knew they weren't the wealthy elite, he merely accepted his pay, tipped his hat, and drove away.

They had lunch at a small pub once Laxus' stomach had calmed, and then Laxus teleported them.

The feeling was like... it was alarming, and yet thrilling. Terrifying, the sense of danger that built up in her shoulder blades and the nape of her neck as his power built and grew, surrounding them. The gasping chill of life-threatening excitement that came when lightning fell from the heavens to meet the bolt rising from Laxus. The near-nothingness of open awareness and freedom that was the moment between one place and another, while nothing but pure power. Then the heart-pounding, gut clenching, wonder of landing. Of being alive. Of knowing that which you didn't know only moments before.

She was giddy. She danced out of his grip, twitching and trembling, but dancing and laughing.

"That was amazing, Laxus! Hahaha! I'm never taking a train ever again."

"I'm not your mule," he drawled.

"Spoilsport," she pushed him, or tried to. Not that it did anything. He probably didn't even realize she did more than touch him. Giant bastard.

He was looking at the area around them, having landed them in the middle of the woods. "We should be near a village. Which should be near the house."

"Sounds great. Which way?" She took a step to the side, staying out of his way while he raised his nose and followed a path only he could find. Lucy decided his weird behavior probably had something to do with the fact that he'd been in close quarters with so many strange people – herself included – for so long, without any real time to himself.

Tapping her lips with her knuckles, she didn't _promise_ to not talk until the next event (she knew better than to make promises she was unable to keep), but she promised to _try_ and give him more space if he needed it.

She understood that sometimes you needed your own space. She felt much better after taking some time herself the night before.

God she hated the Mason house. She hadn't even realized how terrible it was until she was there. Memories that she didn't want brought to the forefront of her mind. Her mother. Aquarius. All those disgusting old bastards groping her. It all just weighed too much, and she'd broken down.

It was good that she could do it alone. And if Laxus needed that time, she'd give it to him.

It took them an hour to reach the village from the forest, which was good. They were well out of the way when they landed, no one would have seen them. The village itself had several serviceable inns, and with her not-quite-promise in her mind and Royal Funds in her purse, Lucy decided on the nicest one with two rooms. They had the entire week to wait until the weekend event, after all. It would be several days of slow travel – none of the wealthy would push themselves to make long days on the road – to get to the house – before anyone else arrived. They might as well be comfortable.

And they might as well have enough room so that Lucy could give her partner space, if space was what he wanted.

"Two rooms, again," he both stated and asked, when she handed him her key. His tone was layered with more than one meaning, and she struggled with her response.

"We'll be here for several days, and there's no telling who we might see. Char, as you know, is fine with 'slumming'. And after two weeks of close company, I don't want you to feel overcrowded."

She directed him to put her bag down next to her door, and he instead grabbed her elbow. "I'm not overcrowded, Lucy. If I feel overcrowded, I'll say something. Keep the second room for the brothers, if you need, but you don't have to for me."

She smiled, "You don't have to say that to protect me. I was stressed yesterday, but I'm fine today."

"I'm not saying it because of yesterday," he lowered his voice, though she thought he wanted to yell. The muscles in his neck were taut. "I'm saying it because of today. You don't need the second room."

The hand on her elbow had moved down to clutch at her fingers, like a plea, and goosebumps had rippled over her skin along the path as it traveled dow...

"Hold up, don't pull that Blue Pegasus mind-control crap on me!"

"Wha?"

She threw off his hand and picked up her bag, "Fine. I'll stay in your room, but don't try that again, buster. I mean it!" She entered her room, pulled the comforter up shook it around a bit, shifted the position of the chair, and turned on the water in the sink for a moment. She put down her luggage and took out her bath-bag, night clothes, and something to wear for the next morning.

All while blushing hot enough to cook a steak.

Laxus, after a moment of shock, smirked and zapped the waiting log in the fireplace to ash.

Deception completed, and with Lucy thoroughly embarrassed, they left her room and went to his.

The room was large, and bright. Clearly the larger of the two rooms, and on a corner, with more windows. It had three chairs next to the fireplace, and a chair and a desk in the windowed corner.

"You gave me the nicer room," he growled at her. _Growled_ at her.

"Well. Yeah. I guess." She put her clothes down on the bedside table and her bath stuff next to the sink in the bathroom.

"Dammit, Lucy!" He grabbed her elbow again, spinning her around, "I thought... I don't know, I thought after last night, maybe _you_ needed, wanted time to yourself... you didn't wait... you..." he let go of her and was so frustrated she thought he might pull out his hair. "But this is levels above bullshit. Doing what we're doing now? This makes sense. One really nice room to share, then the little room to fake. But you weren't going to fake that room, you were going to make it _your_ room and then put me in _this_. Did you think I'd be okay with that? With you treating me like... with...treating you like you..."

Startled by his outburst, she took maybe too long to understand the point he was trying to make. And maybe too long to correct him.

"Laxus, please calm down." She pushed him into a chair and knelt in front of him, her hands on his knees. "I didn't mean anything at all by it, I promise. I never planned to separate the whole week! But you were so distant this morning, I thought I'd give you today to gather yourself. Regardless of your tight-knit team, I know you like to take time to yourself, and I found that last night... like you said, I guess I needed last night. And, well, sunlight helps. So you'd benefit from the sunnier room. And then, when you had your _me_ time, I'd move back in. No problem." She smiled, "And, lest we forget, I'm also much smaller than you. What feels normal for me, likely feels a bit claustrophobic for you."

"I wasn't... I don't need time to gather myself. I was trying to give _you_ space. I know... I know Mason was... hard..."

She laughed and pushed herself to her feet. "I suppose we should get a bit better at communicating, then, staying in such close quarters like we are. That little misunderstanding was entirely unnecessary and avoidable. But, if you think about it, very sweet on both our parts. Thank you, Laxus, for your consideration this morning, and your protection, defense, and concern just now."

Lucy almost walked away then. Almost thought the conversation was finished. But she realized something. A fact, a feeling that made her heart blaze.

She tapped his nose. "You know what I'm not, right now?"

"What?"

"Lonely." She grinned at the very faint wash of color she detected on his face. "Let's go find out what there is to do in this town and exactly how close we are to the big house."

0000

The town itself was a half-hour away, by carriage, from the Holen house. Getting caught snooping would be terrible, so Lucy sent out Gemini in the guise of Romeo. Absolutely any other spirit had potential to give her away, so they were the only ones to go.

Laxus had no problem with the plan. It didn't really endanger anyone, so of course he didn't.

While they waited for Gemini to return, they wandered around the town. Being in the south of Fiore, as opposed to the north, where the Mason's were, there was no snow. Lucy missed it, slightly, because cold without snow was rather dreary.

As a girl, Lucy once asked a carriage driver why the social circuit didn't travel from house to the next closest house, and instead crisscrossed the country to what always seemed the _farthest_ house possible. The driver had been of the opinion that it was because rich people were stupid and were fine with wasting money. Lucy thought now that it had a bit to do with that. It also gave the next house time to set up, probably, and made the season last just a little bit longer, if the traveling did.

Which some people liked, she supposed.

"Lucy?" Laxus' low rumbling voice caught her attention.

"Sorry!" she squeaked. "I was thinking."

"Thinking? What about?" He waved the hand not holding his overlarge wrap. They'd stopped in an eatery and gotten their food to go. People had been shocked that they were eating outside, but they wanted privacy they couldn't get inside a restaurant, and were both tired of being shut up in hotel rooms. The park was pretty, and it wouldn't kill them to be cold for awhile.

"About the tour. Specifically the length of it."

"Wha' d'y' m'ean."

"Laxus... please don't talk with your mouth full."

He rolled his eyes and performed a half bow from his sitting position. "Excuse my poor manners, Lady. But as far as I can tell we're not exactly in a fucking high-class dining hall. I'll eat however I damn well please."

She laughed. "Fine, fine. But it is disgusting. High class or low class."

This time he snorted and shoved the rest of the thing in his mouth before picking up what was his third. "Whatever. You were talking about thoughts?"

"Right. Well. I was thinking, we've been going at it like 18, I mean 19," she shuttered, "is the _maximum_ number of deaths. But what if we looked at it, instead, as the _minimum_?"

"Huh?"

"If they added a house to the tour three years ago, it wouldn't be 19, it would be 22. If they added two houses it would be 25. If the tour was six houses the first year and eight houses the second year and five houses the third year, it would be 20. The only reason there's 19 dead is that there can't be _more_ than 19 dead."

"Wh...what exactly does that mean?" Laxus asked. He'd already sat his food aside. She wasn't sure if it was because he was too focused to eat, or because he no longer possessed the appetite to.

"I'm not entirely sure, yet. I don't think I've finished the thought," her smile was lopsided. "I don't know if I want to..."

"A girl I danced with, Ama Leaville, wonders if it's going on everywhere all the time. She talked about it like it was an unstoppable force of nature, and that the deaths are sacrifices made to calm it. Scary shit."

"Ama. Yes, not really surprising. No one shares information with anyone else. _We_ know it only happens here in winter because of all of the information the princess compiled and me having Crux search through reports. The MO isn't found anywhere else. He's not doing this at home, at any other time of year. Just here, just now."

"She said her uncle escorted her and was mad at her father for not coming. Her father didn't come because he didn't want to be there if a murder was committed, it would free him. But her uncle, and even she, thought that just because you're not there doesn't mean you didn't do it. You could still sneak in." He looked at her over his overflowing plate of food, "That would put almost everyone back on the list."

"I disagree, though. This person, whoever he is, is compulsive. He's following a pattern. And part of that pattern goes beyond the killing, but also extends to showing off his work. The silver spoon. The underwear. Even the last girl. He _broke her neck_ , but he still put a tourniquet on her. It was unnecessary, but he did it. He had to do it. A man like that... he wants to be there, I'm sure of it."

"That ma-"

She threw up a hand to stop him. " _Only happens in winter_."

"Yeah."

"Only. Happens. In. Winter..." she pulled at her lip. "Why not the six houses on the summer tour? I'm not sure what houses those are, I can't remember, but I know the princess checked. We talked about it, and there were no deaths. Not just no tourniquet deaths, no murders, _no deaths_. _No rapes_. Or, well, no reported rapes, but those are likely not the same..." she sneered. But brushed it off, other problems for other days. Lucy looked up at her partner. "What about the summer tour?"

"You think the murderer is someone like Ama. Someone who _doesn't_ go during the summer."

"It could be compulsive to winter. It could be part of the MO, specific to the winter tour for some reason, just like the spoon, just like the servants, but maybe... maybe..."

"Can we get any lists for people who are gone during the summer?!"

"I know Princess Hisui has a party that would interfere with at least one, because it takes place on the solstice, and the business elite who don't merit Royal favor have a party of their own on that night."

"Ama said the Dominos would be close with the Royals," Laxus leaned forward.

"Yes. Yes. So would Jaxon Trant and his wife, but those are the only two I can be absolutely certain of. We need to contact the princess for that information."

"I can get us there tonight. I can get us there _now_."

Laxus started to stand, but she waved him down. "We can't return to her. For all we know Jaxon is meeting with her between parties to discuss contracts. He has an extensive one with the government. We can't get caught there. We'll have to contact her through communication lacrima. Late tonight. She gave me leave to. And it might take a few days, a week even to compile a list. I know she took quite awhile working to build the information she gave me."

He was scowling.

"Not every problem is punchable, Laxus."

"No shit; I'm aware." He looked like he was going to say more when his look of anger turned into one of concern. "Lucy your eyes-"

"Yes," she acknowledged, her focus turning inward. Answering her magic, her spirit. "Gemini has finished. None of the brothers are at home. Bendi is out, likely with his wife, though he was expected back. Runnar is out, location unknown, was expected home. Char is out, location expected to be somewhere between Mason house and here. He is not expected back until the beginning of festivities here. He has developed a taste for running around with his friends, it seems. All of the servants are safe. High number of female servants in this house. Apparently no concern given to the likely upcoming death of one of their hired help by the Lord and Lady Holen. The women themselves seem new to the work, Gemini says, but Gemini is not sure. The older household staff, management, is wary, but also say nothing."

Lucy could feel the intense pulse of Laxus' power, but was too wrapped up in the information her spirit was passing to her to actually see her partner.

"They don't give any warning at all?" he demanded of her.

"No, but there _is_ a much higher guard population in and out of the house than was at Mason. Well-outfitted, and their weapons sharpened. I doubt that will do much good. Gemini also sensed magic on the house, for safety. Anti-combat wards, he thought. Anger dispersal charms. Things of that nature. Sort of stuff you get in bars to help hold back brawls."

She thanked her friend for the hard work and very useful information before blinking and letting her vision return.

"Magic like that?" She leaned in to Laxus, just as intense as he was. "Big enough to cover a _mansion_. That doesn't come cheap. They wouldn't have had it in place that first year. Maybe not even the second. Not many people would have guessed that would have happened two years in a row. I bet none of the other houses mentioned it that first year. Rumor wouldn't have gotten around just yet. Maybe Mason could have kept the second murder secret the second year, or they wouldn't have time to get it set up in a week... but _last_ year... do you think they had it and it didn't work, or that this is the first year..."

Laxus shrugged, "I'm no expert in defense charms, but I've seen Freed do similar shit for years. I'll check it out and see what I see. No use guessing with that little bit of information. Good though it is. Think most of the servants are quitting so they need new ones, or they're hiring new ones to keep them stupid to what's happening?"

"Could be either/or, or a bit of both," she replied. "Same thing as the charms, not enough information for a solid answer to that. But still interesting."

"What about those brothers. They're still on our list right now?"

"Not 100% sure on Bendi. He might have been with his bastard of a father-in-law last year in the Empire. Kattia and her mother, Jaynee Adles, will have stayed behind to work the social season here while they were abroad. Here, in Fiore, Adles women are the powerhouses economically. They hold the purse-strings, where their husbands are envoys. My father always looked down on them," she laughed. "Kattia's dad is such a two-faced, suck up, Kattia never realized that they hated each other, our fathers."

"Char's the one we met at the bar. The one that just stayed for the hunting, but didn't dance."

"Right."

"And Runnar."

Lucy was quiet. Even her thoughts were still. "He didn't talk to me, so I don't know how he is. We were close in age before. He's only tw... he was only two years older. Nice boy. Don't know what he's done since. Was married for awhile, but they got divorced, which doesn't happen often. Seen as shameful, you know. I'll try to get more information about it while I'm here."

"What do you want me to do?"

She looked out over the buildings bordering the town, and smiled. "Go barhopping tonight? Maybe see how the town feels about the Holens. You can tell them you're a guard if you think that will help, or just eavesdrop if that's working." She pulled out her purse, and passed him enough money for two or three nights of drinking. "I should have given you this last week. Don't know why I didn't. The princess gave me the funds, but no reason why you shouldn't keep some of it, too."

"Not been a problem. Like you said, we're checking in on your name, so you're the one who needs the money, most of the time. But this works for now. You be at the hotel?"

"Yup. I'll wait around a bit and then contact Hisui."

His eyes were narrowed, and she could tell that he wanted to do something like walk her back or tell her to be careful, but he didn't, and it made her absurdly pleased. She tossed her trash in a bin, waved, and then bounced off to their lodging.

0000

"-what I can."

"Thank you. Obviously the sooner the better, but I understand that's not always easy."

Laxus closed the door behind him quietly, not wanting to disturb the conversation between Lucy and Princess Hisui.

"Be careful. Both of you."

"We will."

And the lacrima went dark.

Lucy looked up at him and smiled. "She was able to give a list that knocked off another five from our remaining list, just from the last three Royal Solstice parties. That's at 29. Easiest will be to check if any other Royal parties conflict, and any of our guests mark off. The rest are going to take a little more time. You come up with anything interesting?"

He grunted and sat in front of the fireplace after grabbing a rag from the bathroom. It had started to rain, slightly. Barely a drizzle, but it was cold. He wiped his face and took the mug of whatever it was she handed him.

Chocolate. Not really his thing, but it was hot and not alcohol, so … fine.

"If anyone recognized me, they kept quiet about it. Which was nice after the Keltin kid. I listened, and for the most part, the youngest Holen is considered a bit wild, cuz he's in town more than the rest. He was the only one they really talked about. That he was gone, when he was coming back. Him and his friends buying alcohol, and how they made less money when he was gone."

He watched her closely as she closed her eyes and leaned back into her chair. "Did they say anything bad about the family at all?"

"Not really," he put the chocolate down, unable to stomach anymore of it mixing with the taste of cheap ale in his mouth and gut. "But they didn't say anything nice about 'em, either, which is pretty telling."

" _Can't say something nice, don't say anything at all_ ," she quoted. "They won't badmouth the family that probably does a lot to support the local economy, but that doesn't mean they have to like them. I remember Lord and Lady Holen as being very bland, boring people. Lord Holen was always at his accounts and Lady Holen was always busy with house matters. They were walking stereotypes. Dull warnings of what I did _not_ want to be. I'd say any silent unhappiness towards the family has to have something to do with the brothers. The fact that they talk about Char would make me think it's Runnar or Bendi."

He shrugged, "We've still got four days. Time enough to figure out what's going on."

"You're very right."

0000

There was a flash of light followed by a large crash, which woke her. Heart beating hard in her chest. She reached, grabbed blindly in the dim light to the other side of the bed-

"Lucy?" a tired voice asked. "What's wrong?"

"I thought," she croaked, "I thought you'd left."

"No. It's a storm. A real storm. Odd this time of year, after being so cold up north, it's warm enough here to rain."

She sat and rubbed at her eyes. "I'm sorry...woke you."

"Was already up."

"Would you like to go out?" She looked at him. He wasn't lying. He had been awake; listening to the thunder, watching the lightning. "You hungry?"

"No. I'm fine," he huffed. "You should go back to sleep."

"If you want to go out, it's fine. I'll watch and wait for you."

"I'm not going outside, Lucy." He pushed her back down into her pillow, "Go back to sleep."

"What if I said I wanted to go outside. Stand in the rain? What if I decided to jump out of the window right now?" She rolled out of bed and basically crawled, since her legs weren't quite awake enough to stand, to the window. She opened it up, and a sharp blast of _almost_ freezing cold wind and water blew in, moistening her face and hair.

She laughed, _now_ fully awake herself.

"Come on, Laxus. Let's go dancing."

"Where you'll catch hypothermia and die." He was propped up on his pillows, arms crossed, completely un-amused.

"Good holy goodness, when did you become so boring! Gray has been one of my teammates for a long time. Almost my entire tenure as a Fairy. Do you know how many times he's basically turned me into the core of a glacier? More than once, and more than once, is more than enough. I can handle a little southern-winter thunderstorm, I think."

"Lucy..." she could hear the defeat in his voice, and she wanted to cheer. "Ugh." He pulled on pants as he got out of their bed and walked over to join her at the window. "You going to put on something else?"

"Why would I? It's just going to get soaked through in a few seconds, right? I'm guessing you're not going to bother with a shirt."

He didn't argue, so she guessed she was right.

"How about the forest you dropped us off in when we got here? That's a good place, don't you think?"

He shrugged, clearly uncaring, and reached for her. With a victorious smile, she stepped up to him and waited for the tumultuous emotions brought on by the rise in his magic. The dread in her muscles, the pain in her bones, and the leaping excitement in the pit of her stomach of being at the edge of a cliff, the second before jumping.

His power rose, and then she was nothing.

0000

He could not believe he let her talk him into this. The fuck was he doing, standing in the woods at god knows what time of night with some madwoman in the middle of a freezing downpour?

Granted, the view wasn't completely terrible. The madwoman managed to look attractive, even drenched and barefoot.

_Barefoot; good god, I should have made her put on shoes._

Had he not been practically an icicle, he might have been better able to enjoy said view, but the near-frostbitten state of certain external parts of his body made that appreciation a bit harder.

Ha. Harder.

Wait. No. Not funny in this situation. Very much not funny. Or applicable.

Laxus felt lightning build before it raced across the sky and landed to the north of them, away from the woods. The blue and white light made patterns through the clouds, causing Lucy's dancing figure to cast odd shadows against the ground. The thunder that followed was deafening.

While he was still in the sky, and immediately upon landing, Laxus had taken the opportunity to consume a hefty amount of lightning, so he didn't need anymore. He'd told Lucy this, but she didn't seem to care.

_Just for awhile_ , she had asked him. _Just let me stay for awhile. It's completely different, and I want that._

He didn't understand what she meant, but he was hardly going anywhere without her, and he figured she'd be a pain in the ass if he tried to fight her, so it was easier to lean against a tree and watch. Watch as she danced. In the rain. Barefoot. In winter.

Because she was batshit mental.

" _Why_ are you doing this?" he finally decided to ask, when his curiosity became too much to ignore.

"I like to dance," was her simple reply, as she lifted her left leg high, bent slightly at the knee, toe pointed, and spun on the right. Arms outstretched as if reaching for... something. "Not with creepy old men, but the group dances, when they can't touch you for long, that's nice. The movement. The music. There's beauty there. Mama was a beautiful dancer. When she became weak, bedridden, she told me, _movement is joy_." He could see her smile; it was sad, and the rain looked like tears. "Mama was a beautiful dancer."

He wouldn't question any of that. The truth in it was obvious, would have been, even when he knew fuck-all about dancing, and he knew world's more now than he had a few weeks ago. But that wasn't the answer he wanted to the question he asked.

"Why are you dancing _here_? At nighttime?"

"Because it's quiet here, and we can be alone. And because the rain came at night. If it came during the day, we'd be here during the day."

He saw a twitch in her cheek that gave her away; she was purposefully being a smartass. He wouldn't rise to the bait and get snippy back.

"And the rain? Why the rain?"

She twirled until her left leg was curled up behind her, her ankle almost touching her crown, and her arms still reaching, before letting her muscles go lax and flopping down onto the wet earth.

"I would do it at home. Magnolia. Go out at night, if Nats... if I happened to be alone. Dance in the street or the park, under starlight and moonlight. Nothing very firm behind it as far as _thought_ goes. It's just something I enjoyed doing, so I did it. Dance under the stars; let them see me and my joy. I did it alone, because it was a personal thing, and sort of silly, I guess. But I stopped when the guild closed and I left Magnolia. It didn't feel right. Like nothing else felt right."

She stretched out her legs, flexed her toes. Her bare toes. He thought she wasn't going to say more, but she looked up and her eyes were dark with the night's shadows.

"But, like I said yesterday... I'm not lonely, you know? And when I realized it was raining? I thought... maybe if the sky were cloudy, and I couldn't see the stars... maybe I could forget that it wasn't Magnolia. That I wasn't in a strange place. And I could lose myself for a second. Be happy."

He walked to her, to where she sat, and reached down his hands. "And did you? Were you?"

She put her small, extremely cold hands in his, and he pulled her up. "You were here; I was home. Best night I've had in ages." She grinned and pushed wet hair out of her face. "Thanks for putting up with it. Wanna go back?"

He released her hands because if he held them any longer, he was afraid he might crush them. He looked at the trees, in the direction of the village (probably), because looking at her was suddenly more difficult than it should have been.

Why the hell did she have to say shit like that?

He cleared his throat, "I'll take us to the outskirts. Actually landing at the inn would wake people up."

"Sounds good."

"You're not wearing shoes, Lucy."

In his peripheral vision, he saw her look at her feet as if surprised. She flexed her toes again in the wet earth. "I'll survive."

"I'm going to remind you of that when you're miserably ill tomorrow morning."

0000

Lucy spent most of the next day and a half subtly teasing him about how healthy she was and how cute he sounded with a congested nose. The town apothecary was good enough of a healer to fix him up in that short amount of time, and he was fine enough to go out and drink and eavesdrop on the locals, but if he had to talk, he sounded absolutely adorable.

He was also very cute when he sulked about being called cute. If she had a camera, she would have taken pictures to send Mira (or just _everyone_ ), but she didn't. Which was good, because if she had a camera and had she taken pictures, he very well might have killed her.

For some reason being told he was a 'cutesy widdle snuffly zappy monster' didn't instill him with a lot of good humor. Go figure. File that away for future reference ( _and completely ignore it the next time he's adorably ill or injured or teasable_ ).

By the end of the week, they learned little more than they knew at the beginning: Char was considered a flirt and a wild-child. Runnar was either not well-known, or not well-liked because he hardly ever came up in conversation. Bendi was spoken of only as the brother-who-left, with a feeling of _thank goodness, there were enough of them, one less is great_ , but no focused dislike of Bendi as an individual. Lady Holen was practically ignored, and Lord Holen a living paycheck.

Their last night in the hotel room, Lucy packed away her casual clothing with a sad sigh, and tucked herself into the modest bed with a groan.

"At least the bed will be nicer," she muttered.

Laxus, who wasn't _entirely_ happy with her, yet, made some random noise that she guessed she was supposed to be able to interpret into actual language. As she wasn't actually fluent in Laxian, she had absolutely no clue whether he was agreeing with her, disagreeing with her, telling her to be quiet, continuing to express his irritation with her, or had heartburn.

Not that it mattered, or that she really cared.

The princess hadn't been able to give them anything except a list of her events, which knocked off only eight other people. Leaving them with 21 possibles. Far too many. Far too many.

Her heart ached.

"Laxus?"

He grunted again, and she narrowed her eyes at him. He was being such a baby.

"Good night."

"...night, Lucy."

And finally she could smile, if only a little, and sleep, if not deeply.

0000

The carriage driver called out their arrival, and Lucy sat up straighter as a mansion filled the window. Before Laxus could grab her overnight bag for her, she pushed his hand away. Laxus frowned. She'd been mercilessly teasing him for days; he'd hoped she'd stop, or at least back away a little once they got to the house.

"Rich, remember?" She grinned, and her eyes glittered with a sort of bitter mischief. "These aren't the Masons. You've been hearing about this family for a week now. They barely brush their own teeth. We can't carry our own bags!"

Magic sparkled from her a moment before the door opened, so that their 'servants', Leo and Lissana, sat with them.

"Lady Lucy," a tall man bowed as he handed her out of the vehicle and onto the smooth path. "It is a pleasure to see you once again."

"As it is to see you, Mik. Char?"

"On the grounds and awaiting your arrival."

"Bendi?"

"Married and away."

"I was aware he was married, but the _away_ is a welcome surprise. Thank goodness for small favors."

"As you say, Lady." The man, Mik, laughed as he took Lucy's bags and directed another man to carry Laxus's own. Loke and Gemini-Lissana followed the baggage handlers. He glanced down when she remained silent. "Not going to ask after the young Lord Runnar, then?"

Laxus was surprised at the complex swell of emotion that swamped the young woman. Blush stained her rounded cheeks, but her eyes flashed with both anger and fear.

"I heard of his marriage. And of his divorce."

"He, too, awaits you, Lady."

"No doubt he does," she muttered. "No doubt he does."

Not that Laxus felt particularly good in the first place, but the muscles in his lower back tensed at her words, knotting with anxiety.

Lucy was holding something back.

0000X0000


	9. Memories of Spice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which loneliness there is not, and discussion and dancing there is.
> 
> More importantly, the reality of their situation - one might not say - makes itself known.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter 9

Memories of Spice

"Lucy!" Three voices he recognized – even sober – called out, and three men ran out of the house to meet them in the drive before they could even make it through the main entrance. A sharp contrast from the way people treated her at the previous house.

Though Lucy had straight up said she had no fondness for any of the Holen brothers, including Char, she managed to hold up well under his tight embrace, and then those of his two friends.

The discomfort he saw in the body language of her spirits, however, allowed him to understand her own discomfort. He would not have known, otherwise. She was becoming a very good actor.

The combination of Gemini-Lisanna's visible desire to vomit and Loke's to murder had Laxus trying to come up with a way to break up the group hug in front of him. But how... ah.

"Those drunks, right?" he said, just a touch too loudly, where someone might hear. "The runaway and his friends."

"Laxus!" she hissed in rebuke, able to push away and turn to do so.

Her face showed nothing but gratitude before shuttering and flushing in embarrassment.

"We don't want to get them into trouble!"

"A grown man going out for drinks... in trouble..." He looked at the three of them. "If that's what you were risking, I hope you did a bit more than visit a village bar," he flashed a grin worthy of Bixlow. But without the tongue.

Too erotic, Lucy said. He would never be able to forget that. Ever.

"Laxus!" this time the flush was a little more real and a little less acting, he thought.

He got three matching grins in return.

"We did okay," Magna, the tall, dark-haired, once-drunk said.

"I didn't do _as_ okay," Char moped. "All week. Disappointing."

"Yeah," Richard, the slightly shorter red-head, countered, "but you normally pull 10s, so stop complaining."

"I'm allowed to complain. I spent good money on-"

And that's when the three of them remembered where they were and who they were with. They looked at Lucy like children with chocolate-covered fingers and crumb-covered shirts being presented with an empty cookie jar.

Interesting, since she was physically younger than they were. But, then, they probably remembered her as being older. Maybe by four, even five years. He knew how odd it was with some of the people back in the …

He knew how odd it was.

But still, the way they responded to her was comical. She was hardly some matronly den-mother. They all knew what she'd done and where she'd been. The idea of her going nuts at all in _this_ sort of public place, even at the _implication_ of sex that had monetary value attached – whether it was a prostitute who wasn't up to the man's ideal of beauty, or a date who hadn't put out after a fancy meal – was absurd.

On the other hand, looking at them sort of reminded him of her team... maybe she just had a way with morons. Cowering when they knew they'd behaved inappropriately. He'd buy it.

Moving on from that. At the very least, this little bit of a meeting had confirmed what the village meant by Char being wild.

Magna and Char linked arms with Lucy to drag her into the house, and Laxus decided he really had to let the physical contact go in this case. They would benefit from these men trusting and liking them. Her. And after Mason, she might even enjoy being near a few people who liked her. Actually, seeing the three of them from behind reinforced that image of her and…

Laxus covered his ears as a wail screamed through the door. He was only five steps behind Lucy; he could still see her, and she was glowing red.

"Shit!" He leaped forward to grab her, pushing the two men out of the way, and the wail doubled in volume. He was inside the house, now. Crossed the threshold. With her. Inside the house.

Which is when he remembered the wards.

Technically they were not threats to the house or people in it, but not-so-technically they were both powerful enough to be. Laxus could feel the magic of the wards squeezing around him, keeping him from moving or exercising his lightning. Or at least that was what the ward was _trying_ to do.

Laxus fought it. Not to break it, not quite. Just to move. He just needed to move. He managed to wrap one arm around Lucy, and she reached up to grab onto his hand, using her other hand to grab a key from the sash on her hip.

He shook his head at her. Wouldn't be a good idea to do anything to destroy the ward. The house needed it, no matter how annoying it was at that moment.

Lucy's vocalization was lost in the noise, which had rendered his eardrums useless. He tried to stop her. Wanted to stop her. Couldn't stop her. Suddenly Laxus was swallowed, and the world went silent.

0000

"The fuck, he says."

Lucy looked at Horologium, who currently held Laxus, neither of them looking at all comfortable, and she managed not to laugh. Probably because the situation itself wasn't at all funny.

"Move him out of the house," she told her spirit, yelling over the alarm. She was still trapped, but Horologium was capable of movement, just as the boys were. The celestial spirits were magic, but not mages, she guessed. Didn't matter at the moment, she didn't have time to really work over it."Just to the door. Hopefully that's enough to clear him, and then you can come back for me."

She didn't have a way to break the ward, and even if she did, she wouldn't because the thing did have a purpose she agreed with.

But she did think taking Laxus out of the situation would calm things marginally.

It did not.

"What the _hell_ is going on down here?!" cried a woman running down the main staircase. A man followed closely by a second. Tall. Pale. Slightly sad-looking man.

Runnar.

"You bloody morons," Runnar cursed at everyone in the room, "it's Lucy Heartfilia, not a monster army. We knew she was coming, and her escort Laxus Dreyar. Did no one think to put in a damn exception?" He waved at the air around him, "Uma, turn the damn thing _off_!"

"Yes, Lord Runnar," the woman bowed and waved a hand. Lucy sensed no magic from her, so she guessed there was a mechanic to it. The woman was no mage. Still, whatever it was she did, the sound, the light, the minor paralysis cut off, and she was able to move.

She tripped forward slightly, caught by Richard and Magna with Char looking up at his brother.

"Why wasn't Lucy added as an exception?" he asked.

"The hell do I know?" Runnar spat back. "What kind of control do you think I have in this place anymore?" Then, as if exerting a great force of will, he closed his eyes, sucked in air, and exhaled.

"Welcome back to Holen house, Lu-"

"Lucy, let me the fuck out of this thing, now, he says." Horologium's voice surprised her.

"Oh crap! Laxus, I'm so sorry! Thank you so much, Horologium!" She released the spirit, who left Laxus standing, only mildly rumpled just outside of the door. Looking not at all happy. "Um, so… I was trying to help?"

"Remind me, again, who the guard is and who the _lady_ is on this trip… you don't help me, Lucy. I help you."

"Well when _I_ am the one able to do something, I'll help all I please, Mr. Dreyar. I may have asked for your help, but I didn't ask for a _babysitter_."

"Maybe that's wh-"

" _Welcome to Holen house_ ," Runnar said again, this time much louder and focused on both her and her partner. Lucy blushed, realizing that she had been arguing with him in public just as she would in private. Or in the guild.

"Ah. Thank you so much, Runnar. I'm so sorry about the… the ward. I didn't… I didn't expect that, so we both reacted poorly. I apologize."

"No need. Should have seen it coming. Did see it coming, in fact. I could have sworn we put you in as an exception."

"How does that work? What did you use to activate the exception? Blood and skin work best for wards, and I know you don't do that. Names don't work… I didn't know about it at all, so I didn't give you a magical imprint…"

Char and Runnar exchanged looks.

"Bendi was supposed to talk to you and take care of it at Mason," Runnar said. "Char's fond of the city at Mason, and I don't like house parties, so we knew we would avoid most of the festivities. Kattia, however, demands that Bendi be on hand 24/7, so we knew he'd see you. He was supposed to ask for hair… and I'm guessing he didn't."

"He did not."

"Fantastic," Char groaned. "Mother is _not_ going to be happy."

"You're going to tell her?" Magna looked at him like he was insane.

Runnar snorted, "Don't be a dumb ass. She heard. Of course she heard. The village idiot probably heard. The King probably heard. On that point, if the two of you can give Uma here a sample of your hair, and then, Uma can go fix the spell. Dake," he nodded to a guard who had appeared at the door, "go and inform Lord and Lady Holen of the situation here."

"Of course, Lord Runnar."

The woman went to do as ordered after taking the hair Lucy and Laxus had both – somewhat reluctantly (there were unfortunate curses that could be performed with hair, but they had little choice if they wanted to walk around this house) – supplied, and Runnar finally descended the last few stairs to join them at the entrance.

"You children go play elsewhere. I'll take Lucy and her escort to their rooms."

For a moment, Lucy thought Char, or at the very least Magna, would argue, but neither of them did. Richard grabbed Magna's sleeve, slapped Char's shoulder, and the three of them left out of a side door.

"Follow me," Runnar snapped his fingers at the Holen servants with their bags, at Loke and Gemini-Lisanna, and technically at Lucy and Laxus, as well. "Unfortunately, by the time we received your letter, there were no more double rooms available. So, Laxus, you will be on the third floor, and Lucy, you will be on the fourth."

In her peripheral vision, she saw Laxus' jaw clench. This was something they knew might happen. It was something they had actually planned for happening. But actually having it happen was going to be slightly awkward. Especially in a warded house with a load of hyperactive young men. She wouldn't be at all surprised if they didn't sleep.

"I do like having a suite," she told Runnar, "but I did write very late, so that is what happens. I can hardly complain! And I've never stayed at your house in a room that was less than beautiful, so I certainly don't expect a bad experience just because the place is a bit smaller than I'm used to."

Laxus was very much _not_ loosening up. She paused for a moment to let Runnar get two steps in front of her and glared at Laxus. She couldn't actually _say_ anything, but it was enough to at least unclench his teeth.

His shoulders, however, would probably not bend under steel, they were so tight. He was not a happy man.

They reached the third floor and Runnar very obviously tried to dump Laxus off. Normally, she thought Laxus might have allowed it, but after the disaster downstairs she came very close to laughing in his face at the attempt.

"No. Lucy may have a point that she doesn't need a babysitter," Laxus moved his icy glare from Runnar to her, " _may_ " and then back, "but I'm not inclined to let her out of my sight until I feel a little more comfortable about your home, and I would like to speak to her in private." He said the last in a tone that indicated she was about to get a severe tongue lashing.

_Thanks for that, you jackass._

Sure, it was a good excuse for a private conversation in her room, since they were apparently going to be watched, but it also basically infantilized her to an individual she would need to deal with as a peer.

Runnar was clearly not happy with the situation, but put up no fight with a decision he had honestly no right to stop. They could talk with each other if they chose, wherever they chose to do so. They just needed to make sure no one thought they were too close.

He led them one more floor up. Lucy had hoped that her room would be directly above Laxus', making Virgo's hole digging straight down a simple way to get from room to room. Not so much. Her room was one floor up and on the complete other side of the house.

Once again, she glanced up at Laxus, and it was like she could hear inside of his head. It was nothing but curse words.

She really, really wanted to laugh. She wondered if she was having a mental breakdown.

"Thank you so much for walking us, Runnar. And we're sorry, again, for causing a ruckus at the door. I hope we didn't interrupt anything too important."

He shook his head, "Seriously, don't apologize. Bendi's fault completely. And you didn't interrupt anything but the usual preparations. Which, though it all should be a lot of well-oiled machines by now, are all somehow still frantic. You'll be in the dining room at seven?"

"Yup. Good to see you again, Runnar!"

"Same, Lucy." He smiled, that bit of sadness leaving his face. For a small moment she almost recognized a boy she once knew…

Lucy opened the door and led Laxus and her 'servants' into her assigned room.

"God-fucking-damn it, Lucy!" she was taken completely aback when, before she could even take a decent _breath_ , he had her pulled around and started shaking her. "Don't _do_ that!"

"L-l-laa-a-a-x-uuu-ssss!" She grabbed onto his wrists squeezing them. Trying to pull them off, like that was ever going to be possible.

"I am more than capable of-"

She slapped him.

"The _fuck_?!"

"Let. Go. Of. Me."

"I will not let go of you until-"

She slapped him. Again.

She thought he might electrocute her. He was sparking pretty hardcore. Uma must have got their hair in the system since the ward wasn't going off like mad.

He let go.

Loke and Gemini had gone, thank goodness, to let the two of them deal with things. Frankly, she was surprised Loke had left, but it was better that he did. He would just rile Laxus and make this more difficult, and Lucy knew she was good enough at that on her own.

"Like I said downstairs, I'll do what I find necessary in the situation."

"You called me as a _guard_ , Lucy-"

"Yes, and it was obvious what the situation was: Not an attack, but a defense. The best thing to do was to remove both of us from the house. You first, since you are the more powerful mage, and your power is more volatile, and the ward is more likely to act against you, if it acts in any way. Once you were out, Horologium was to return for me. Plus, if it was necessary to _do_ something, you'd be more able to do it _outside_ the ward."

"Lucy-"

"No. I will not accept your lecture! What I did was _right_!"

His head dropped as if all the energy drained from his muscles. "Shit, I hate working with you."

"Hard on your ego," she smirked.

"No fucking kidding."

"Ah, Laxus, you don't have to be quite so protective."

"Yes, I do. Yes, I do." He lifted his head, and his eyes were hard and serious. This was a fight she was not going to win.

"Okay. Fine."

"…two rooms."

She finally felt safe enough to laugh. "We'll come up from dinner at the same time, and I'll send Gemini in my form to my room. No problem. I'll have Virgo bring me clothing."

"You can't just come through some spirit world portal or something?"

"Not safely. There are time differences and spacial differences, and it's much easier just to sneak. No need to cause more problems than we already have."

"Yeah. We have more than enough problems."

"No shit," she agreed. She reached up a hand to touch his cheek. "I'm sorry."

"Eh, no big. Not like it hurt."

"Want me to do it again?" she muttered.

He chuckled and finally let her go. "Maybe I do. Been awhile since I've had a good spar. Any spar, really."

"Your team?"

"Haven't been with my team, have I?" He sat in one of the chairs while she put away her clothes.

"Well yeah, but I didn't think you were counting _this_ period of time. And two-and-two-thirds weeks is hardly a long time."

"Sure as hell feels like a long time."

She rolled her eyes, but as she was facing the wardrobe he couldn't see. Safer that way.

"What do you say, Lady Lucy Heartfilia? Wanna pull out your whip and give these stuck up assholes – and our murderer – a real show of what you're capable of?"

She turned to face him and rolled her eyes again, more exaggerated for his benefit. "One: Please, like I could put up anything like a decent showing against you. Two: I'm here undercover-ish, remember. Leaving behind Lucy of Fair- Lucy the mage. Rebecoming Lucy the once-and-possibly-future wealthy elitist. Three: Some version of those two things, phrased in a different way. I need a nap."

He sank into the chair, crossing his arms. "Wow, look at those smarts leak right out of your ears."

"You are such a jerk."

"En. So that's no fight then?"

"No fight."

"Shit. Running is boring as fuck," he sighed. This was an actual, serious statement.

"So rip trees," she snapped. "I still think that's a good alternative."

"You think Lord Holen's going to be glad some guy's tearing up his forest?"

"What about boulder breaking?"

"You see all that many boulders when we were wandering around the other day?"

"…no."

"Again, those brains just dripping all over this nice carpet… so sad."

She considered the distance between the wardrobe and the chair, the time it would take to cross it, and the impact slapping him once more would have. Instead she crossed her arms in a parody of his usual stance. "Again, such a jerk."

He grinned.

"Gemini," Lucy called up the spirit. "Can you go down as Lisanna and inform the kitchens that we need a small lunch. Mention that the ward wiped us out."

"Did it?" he was looking at her strangely.

"Maybe a little. Keeping Gemini and Loke out while adding Horologium shouldn't make me tired for as short of time as they were in action, but I do feel tired. I assume part of the drain was how long I used the magic caught while in the ward, keeping Loke and Gemini running despite the ward trying to shut me down, calling Horologium up during that period… I couldn't tell how much was actively sapped out of me. But at least a little was. You?"

"Not much, but I wasn't in it from the start, and you got me out pretty fast."

She nodded. "Well, tell them we need a lunch. Then we'll send you down as Laxus to his room. You don't have to stay, of course." She blinked, "But of course, _you_ don't have to stay _here_ either!" she told Laxus. "If you want to go to your own room, as you, yourself, that's fine!"

"Honestly, I'd prefer we both went to my room. For the duration."

"Why?"

"One floor closer to the ground. According to what Gemini discovered as Romeo, it's on the same side of the house as the kitchens and the servant's quarters," he looked at the spirit to confirm.

"Right," s/he said. "The window also looks out directly on the back gardens closest to the forest itself, if an escape becomes necessary."

"Well then," Lucy smiled. "Down we go as a group to the kitchens to grab a quick snack, since I'm so informal. Then we go to Laxus' room, eat, and you," she nodded to Gemini, "return to this room as me."

"As you wish, Lady Lucy," s/he bowed slightly in the servant Lisanna character. Lucy grimaced.

Ugh.

0000

Dinner was going to be hilarious fun, Lucy realized when she entered the hall some ten minutes after Laxus, maintaining the illusion that they were in separate rooms.

Some wonderful individual thought it was a great idea to sit Laxus with the young fan-boy, Hanrae Keltin, once again. When Lucy walked down the line of the table and saw the seating arrangements, she worked very hard not to cackle at his misfortune, but the quick glare she caught from her partner told her she hadn't tried hard enough.

She was placed with, luckily enough, Hanrae's brother, Brath. At the Mason house she'd tried to catch him for a dance, but hadn't been able to manage it, being either more sought out by the older men or younger men not being allowed to speak with her by their elders.

But Holen house was different. That was obvious.

"Lady Lucy," Brath nodded when she sat down across from him. They were the first two at their section of the table.

"Lord Brath. How were your travels?"

The man snorted, "To be perfectly honest? Miserable. My brother spent the entire time gushing over your friend." He cut his eyes down the table to Laxus. "Thank you immensely for that."

She grinned. "Yes, well. The way Laxus told it, I can't imagine Hanrae never mentioned him before. If it is any consolation, I know Laxus is probably going to enjoy this dinner far less than you enjoyed your trip, and being in public, he is actually under orders to mind his tongue and keep his temper." She bit her lip, "Hopefully…"

She thought Brath might have laughed, but they were joined by Rachael Eldonia. And – _good goodness, why_ – Magna. Following them were Petreus Lette and Victoria Belwin, completing their table. She would lay money on Char being the reason she'd been seated with people of her own age. She'd have to thank him. Even if he'd put Magna at the table.

"He seems, even in extreme situations, to keep a fairly even temper," Magna mentioned, continuing the point, and suddenly Lucy realized that they were about to start their dinner conversation on the subject of Laxus.

Poor man. He could probably hear them, if he tried. She so hoped he was focused on Hanrae.

"Oh, of course. But how much starry-eyed fawning can one person stand before they want to run from a room, really?"

"It would depend on who's fawning," Magna leered, but at Victoria, not her. Thank goodness.

Accepting bowls of iced pumpkin soup, Victoria rolled her eyes, and Rachael must have kicked his shin or something because he winced as she grinned.

"Being as that person is my brother," Brath said, "feeling pity for him is fair. I too hope he manages to hold in temper. The most tame of men would be tempted to rage when spending time with Hanrae."

Petreus' laugh was loud enough to fill the hall, and most of the older people turned to look at them with scorn. Magna relished in the attention, the rest of them did their best to maintain neutral expressions and ignore the two maniacs determined to get them into trouble.

"It appears Laxus isn't who I should be worried about," Lucy muttered, giving Petreus a small frown when the rest of the dining room returned to their own conversations.

"Lord Laxus was possessed of quite impeccable manners when I dined with him at Mason." Victoria's face was soft and flushed a pretty pink. Blue Pegasus Brain Washed. Brilliant. He was brilliant. _Exactly how many girls has he infected_? Lucy wondered. "I was very impressed with him, especially when compared with the younger Keltin." Victoria nudged Brath with her forefinger.

"Don't blame me;" Brath looked directly at her and smiled, "we all know who is really at fault."

Lucy stopped with her spoon halfway to her mouth. "What?"

"Indeed," Rachael, nodded.

Blinking at all of the smiles and nods surrounding her, she put down her spoon and pointed at herself. " _Me_?"

"And not just Hanrae," Petreus' laughter was much quieter. "You'll find most of the younger children are taken with magery and mages. Thanks to your rather dramatic departure, and extremely dramatic return, there is little in our world considered more interesting than your world."

"No wonder I'm so popular with the parents."

"Or married older siblings that you used to hang out with?" Magna's sly tone suggested some understanding or knowledge of her interactions with Bendi and Kattia.

"Oh, do they also have problems with me? How awful. Look at me weep." She blinked a few times, dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a napkin, and then shrugged. "Or not."

"Not all of the older siblings, though," Victoria's smile was coy. "I can think of one or two who are willing to ignore your past."

"I'm not interested in anyone who wishes to ignore my past. My past is as much a part of me as my present," she told the table. "I'm not ashamed of who I am. I never have been."

The awkward silence that followed didn't really touch her. Making the communication emotionally rocky could make things easier.

"And Laxus?" Brath questioned. "Are you interested in him?"

"He's my friend, but he is not, as so many people have tried to insinuate, my lover. People have wicked imaginations," she smirked, glancing once more at Victoria's pink cheeks. "Not that I blame them. He's very much sought after, of course. As we all know, powerful men are great attracters of fans. Not just for magery."

Magna was laughing again. So was Rachael, who hadn't apparently been overcome by Laxus' varied charms.

"And you?" Petreus crossed his arms, waiting for the next course to be served.

"Me?" Lucy nodded to the servant girl who placed the blackened red fish in front of her. The girl was young, pretty, and – in Lucy's mind – entirely vulnerable.

"Do you have fans?"

The statement startled a laugh from her, "I'm no Laxus Dreyar."

"But you flashed on the barrier, too!" Magna was talking with his mouth full.

Manners had apparently become very loose in recent years… that or Magna was allowed to get away with quite a lot.

"The barrier?" Brath looked down at his brother before turning fully to Magna. "Are you _serious_? There's _actually_ a barrier on this house?"

"Of course there is," Rachael rolled her eyes. "Everyone knows that. The Holens actually decided to do something this year."

Lucy blinked.

_Lucky_.

"Do something? About what? I just assumed it was general protection. I'm not at Laxus' level, so it's not just seeking out the most powerful. It's looking for magic. So I just assumed it was trying to keep the peace at the party, right?"

"Well, yes," Victoria agreed, "but it's a certain kind of peace."

"…are we being vague for a reason?" Lucy asked, looking face to face at her table-mates.

"Yes," Petreus' eyes flicked to the side where an older woman – a Maritus sister? – was watching them. The six of them were quiet through the changeover to the salad course.

When the room noise rose again, Lucy leaned forward slightly, "Sooo, what is this big secret that we're not telling me?"

Magna nodded to Petreus, who was sitting to her left, and could – she presumed – tell her in a whisper.

"We've had a few murders."

" _Here_?!"

"Yeah."

"And most of the other houses," Victoria, on her right, and also able to whisper, added.

" _All_ of the other houses," Magna corrected.

"Not Mason, this year," Rachael said.

Magna shook his head, "Yeah, there was. Girl died before most people showed up."

" _Really_? So… so _everywhere_ ," Victoria's blush was gone completely. She was ghost-pale.

Lucy looked from speaker to speaker, watching the interactions, and how they confirmed what she and Laxus already knew. Knowledge was hidden, not shared. But everyone knew pieces; yet, still did nothing. "How long?"

"Two years," Victoria answered.

"This is the fourth," Brath, who had finished his food, pushed it away. "If a girl died at Mason, this is the fourth year."

"But… but only Holen has protections?" She cocked her head to the side as if considering the information for the first time. "And only _this_ year implemented them?"

She was answered with a long span of silence that was lengthened by another course change.

"Why only Holen house?"

"I've not asked," Rachael said to her veal. "We don't ask."

"Magna? You practically live with Char. You knew what it was. Why only this year?"

Lucy had a good idea of what was coming when he wasn't able to look her in the eye. "I know what you're going to think about this, Lucy. But Lord Holen was hesitant to spend the money necessary because..."

She narrowed her eyes, "Because?" She looked at the others, wondering how far to go. "A girl died at Mason. A medical carriage drove away just as mine drove in. That girl was a servant. If I were to suppose _all_ of those who died were servants, and _that_ was why the cost was considered so dear until year four, would I be wrong?"

Silence once more.

"Ah."

"It's not the way it sounds," Victoria grabbed her hand.

"How is it, then?"

"I… people are scared, but no one can find the person doing it, Lucy."

"No one can find him? So someone cares enough to try and find him, and fail, but no one cares enough to attempt to protect the potential victims." She went for hissing instead of screaming so as not to draw any attention to their table or conversation.

"Lucy…"

"Do you even know people searched? You didn't know how many years it happened or where. Is this real?" She rubbed a hand over her face. "Why the hell did I think coming back here was a good idea?"

"It's real," Lucy felt the touch of Rachael's shoe on her shin. "I saw one of them."

Lucy looked at her in horror. _This_ was new.

"And what's so special about it that no one can catch the person after 4 years?"

There was horror. Horror in her expression. "I don't know. I just know they can't."

"Who is _they_?"

"I don't know; I don't know."

And that was the line, Lucy knew. If she pushed any harder, they would resent her.

"Why in the world…" she looked down the table at Laxus and sighed. "This isn't going to go over well."

"What isn't?" Brath asked.

"The fact that Laxus and I are probably going to have to try and protect everyone in this house while we're here…"

Magna dropped his fork, " _Lucy_ , you _can't_."

"What do you mean I can't? Of course I can. I must."

Petreus looked up at Lord Holen at the head of the table, "They won't like it…"

She laughed, "As if I've ever cared. And as if regard of that nature matters in the face of loss of life."

"Lucy…" Victoria began, but she cut her off.

"Laxus and I aren't the sort of people capable ignoring _murder_. Not with our power. We won't just forget this. But I'll understand if you feel the need to tell your families that we are now aware of the situation."

Rachael shook her head, "They'll kick you out if we do."

"At which point we stay on the perimeter and/or call the Council guard. I'm not going to let this go. I won't freak out," she took a deep breath. "I won't freak out, and I won't let Laxus freak out, either. I won't mention any of your names. I won't get you in trouble if you're not supposed to talk about it. But this isn't something we'll just ignore."

She looked at Laxus, and at that moment he turned to her. She didn't know what his conversation was about, but he looked more like his pre-Fantasia self than he'd looked in a long time. She could only imagine he, too, had reached into information on the murders. His smirk made her blood freeze in her veins.

It was going to be a long night.

0000

She sank into one of the chairs the moment she entered his room and put her head in her hands. She was shaking. He wasn't sure he knew what to do with her. He wasn't sure he wanted to do anything. He was angry. At _everything_. He needed to leave the house.

Breaking trees was beginning to sound like a great idea.

He leaned against the door. "The kid knew about the ward. Wanted to know if I could break it."

"I know," she whispered. "It came up in conversation. Brath didn't believe it was real, but I'm pretty sure he heard about it from Hanrae. So we talked about that for a bit. Quickly followed by conversation on the murders. Only new information I got is that there were people trying to figure out what happened. Rachael Eldonia actually saw one of the bodies. I didn't press her at dinner. Things were too tenuous. And it was _dinner_. I'll try her during the ball."

"Until then?"

"Loke's on patrol. He's watching. I figure you'll probably go exercise at some point, early-early in the morning. I'm sending Gemini for late-night snacks at around 2 or 3 A.M.-ish. I'm wondering how weird it would be to send Plue..."

"Plue?"

"My dog spirit. He stands out, but he has a nose. But then I don't know what he'd hunt for. This guy doesn't leave blood. Silver? For the spoon? The house is full of that."

She finally looked up at him, and he was concerned, deeply concerned at the emptiness he saw there. It was if the only emotion she had left was the emotion she was faking.

"You didn't say, before, but compared to Freed, how was the ward?"

He considered the question, considered the ward. He hadn't given it much thought, being too caught up in the danger it posed to her. "Given what it was? Fine. Not 100% there, but I'd say almost on par."

"I could still move a bit. Use my magic. Horologium, could move."

"Yeah, but your magic is otherworldly. Almost inhuman, and the spirits _aren't_ human."

"Like when the barrier during Fantasia wouldn't let Gajeel and … and Natsu out on the 'over 80' rule. Because of the dragons inside of them. It wasn't intentional, but the rule didn't take it into account. I'm a human with magic, so it alerted for me, but my spirits are not technically from Earthland, so my magic still works through them as energy."

He winced. "Yeah, something like that."

She thought, perking up a bit. "The magic this killer uses is _effective_ , but not necessarily powerful or much. He kills physically. None of the other guests are mages-"

"-that we know of," Laxus added.

"Surely we would know. I have a good sense for magic. Surely I could tell if one of these people worked magic..." She chewed on her lip. "Surely... so if it's bought magic... they make it through the ward regardless. The anti-fighting ward... we haven't seen that in action-"

"And _I'm_ sure as shit not fighting anyone to see it."

"I wasn't going to suggest it!"

"Good."

"What I meant was, we haven't seen it, but it doesn't stop anger or disagreements. They stop active aggression. Killing."

"Yeah..."

"What about _those_ exceptions?"

"What exceptions would there be to that?"

"The hunters."

A long moment of silence seemed to echo between them. The word. The idea. The possibilities.

He blinked. "But they're not going to ward the _woods_. Are they?"

"No, I'm sure they're not, but it wouldn't surprise me if they made exceptions, because while the front of the house begins and ends at the door, the back of the house will extend into the gardens and the grounds. The ball at Holen doesn't take place indoors. It is held in an outdoor garden. I remember there being pigeons there..."

"So we see who hunts tomorrow morning..."

"And that will limit our list, hopefully."

0000

Neither of them slept well. Lucy tossed and turned, and shivered. Laxus worried that she was basically in constant use of her magic and was going to drain herself to death. He worried that while they were hiding in their room, some madman was downstairs doing awful things to some helpless girl.

He worried, and it was making him sick, and angry.

At 5 A.M., he rolled out of the bed he had barely slept in, and put on clothes fit for exercise. This time he worried about leaving Lucy alone. He worried about leaving without saying anything, but she'd only finally fallen into something resembling sleep about thirty minutes before, and waking her would be cruel. Especially when it had been her idea for him to leave so early in the first place.

Like at Mason, he left, made a circuitous route of the house as a warm up – it was cold, why not warm up inside? – before hitting the kitchens for a light snack. Then, he ran. He covered as much of the grounds as he could, but he saw and sensed nothing. At 7, other men from the house emerged, guns in hand, to enter the woods and hunt. Laxus made sure to make note of each one in his head. He would point them out to Lucy, the ones he didn't already have names for, and they would adjust their list if they thought they could.

There were twenty-three.

A few of them – Char, Magna, Richard, and Hanrae in particular – nodded to him, in a silent early-morning greeting, while a few others – Runnar, for example – looked on in clear distaste.

The blatant jealousy he could see oozing from the slightly older man was _almost amusing_. Or would be if it wasn't so damn stupid. Scrawny, pale, almost sickly, with a terrible attitude, it was no surprise that he'd be jealous. But it was also pointless to be. A waste of his time. He should be more focused on getting a hold on his own life.

But then, Laxus had more important things to do than give advice to moronic rich-boys.

Between 8 and 9, he was in and out of a shower, changed into nicer clothing, and was finally pulling Lucy out of bed to take her to breakfast. She managed to fumble through the meal, eating little-to-nothing, and throwing it up when Laxus half-carried her back to his room.

"Lucy, you've got to shut your magic down for a few hours. I'll stay out to watch, so you don't have to worry. You need to cut off completely. You're making yourself sick." He put a hand to her forehead to check for fever, finding her to be cold, rather than hot. "Loke might be out on his own, but Gemini isn't, Crux is working through your eyes and ears, analyzing the lists almost all the time, Virgo's in and out, Horologium yesterday, the ward yesterday, plus shitty sleep... Shut it all down. Take a nap. I'll watch the house."

It was a testament to how fucking tired she had to be when she didn't give him any lip and just did as told. Crawling on the bed fully dressed and falling almost immediately asleep.

He wanted nothing more than to crawl in with her. Beside her. To sleep. To forget anything and everything. But the job came first.

She still had her shoes on. Her dress' high collar was twisted around her throat. He tapped his foot. Looked at the door. Looked at her shoes.

He could at least put her under the blanket, right?

_Fuck it_.

"Loke?" he called.

"I'll take care of her," the spirit said, appearing at his side. Laxus grinned. He hadn't known if it would work. He was glad when it did. One less thing to stress about. She _had_ told him she would give Loke full reign. "Go do what you need to do."

"Thanks."

"No need to thank me. Caring for her is the greatest honor any of us could ever be afforded."

Looking at Loke, he saw no hint of the usual flirtatiousness present on the man's, the spirit's face. Only devotion. She was safe. Laxus left.

0000

He wasn't supposed to dance with Lucy. He knew that. They were supposed to be dancing and talking with others. But she was getting angry, and he was getting bored, so he snatched her away from an older man, who was covered in unnecessary amounts of gold accessories, at the end of a song before another pompous bastard could cut in.

The day had been … fine. He'd found nothing, which was better than it could have been, in a way. But, not as good as it would have been if he'd found the killer, of course. So his stress level was still high.

Lucy looked fine. The sleep had eased all the lines from her face, and color had returned to her skin. She was moving with ease. But he had noticed the tension in her voice when he was close enough to hear her talk. He knew she managed to corner the Rachael girl, the one who was a witness. He also knew she'd been forced to dance with a lot of people she'd been very much not happy to dance with.

"Ugh. He tried to cop a feel, right there! In front of his daughter! Can you believe that?!" Her hissing whisper would not reach anyone else's ears, and her face kept its pleasant mask.

"Honestly? Yeah."

"Ugh. Should have Lucy Kicked him right in the face."

If they had been alone, he might have laughed, but as she remained pleasant, he remained stoic. But he planned to tease her about it when they finally made it back up to their room. Hopefully, soon.

"I'd'a paid good money to see you do it. Anything to stop the crap I'm having to put up with."

"Oh, Laxus," she blinked her large brown eyes at him, "you're soooo handsome and muscle-y and tough and broody and stuff. I don't care if my parents don't approve of it! Please, take me away with you! We can live in whatever humble 5-8 room shack you call a home, and I'll happily make with you all the babies you could ever want!"

She fluttered her eyelashes a bit more and giggled, and he considered dropping her on her ass.

"Okay, so it's not as bad as getting groped, but it's still annoying."

"No questioning that."

He lifted his arm to spin her around, stepping with her as the music swelled loud and fierce to fill the glittering space.

A scream. Muffled. But it wasn't music hiding the sound. Distance. Distance and something more.

With a pull, stronger than necessary, Lucy returned to him. "We have to go."

He ignored the looks of other dancers, dragging his partner off of the floor, away from the garden, into the house, down the hall. Another hall. A third. He only had the one scream to follow. And the path was unfamiliar. A fourth. A stairway. A fifth.

"Where are we going? Do you know?"

"Not sure. This way. I heard a scream. This way." He cursed. "Fucking walls."

"Teleport?"

"Can't hear anything anymore. Don't know for sure. Can't feel anything. You?"

"No," she pulled her hand from his, "but I wouldn't. Run, Laxus. I'll catch up."

By the time he heard the crying, he again knew he was too late. And this too late was true. Truly his to own. He was too late. Not even two minutes after the scream, he reached the body.

"Shit."

The women surrounding the young girl looked up at him, most shocked. The one on her knees, hands covering her mouth, she was the one who screamed. Laxus could tell, even from the door, that the body was cold.

Here, in the middle of the kitchen, a girl had died and waited. Waited to be found.

Was found.

"No..." Lucy gasped, running into his back. He thought she might panic, again – he might panic, again – but she stepped around him and addressed the small crowd. "Who is she? What happened?"

She wasn't looking down, Laxus noticed, briefly. She kept her eyes on the women, the women living. He couldn't. Not for long. His eyes were pulled to the girl on the floor. She was... she looked...

She wasn't a series of photographs in a folder. She wasn't speeding by him in a carriage. She lay on the floor, a living girl draped over her feet, weeping. Over her feet, because those were the only parts of her still perfectly whole.

"My sister," the weeping girl said, gasping. "My sister. The Ghost came for my sister."

"The Ghost?"

"Yes. He's already taken three... next year it'll be another. Right next to us, and we'll never know."

Nineteen, and now twenty, he didn't say.

"Laxus, you heard..."

He indicated the sister, nodding to Lucy, "It was her. You found your sister. You screamed?"

"She did," an older woman confirmed.

"So nothing before that?" Lucy flinched after saying it. Could be she was worried she insulted him. Insulted his abilities. His alertness.

She didn't have to. He could do it well enough on his own.

Died under his watch. Under his nose and ears. Heard the sister scream half a house away, while in the middle of a ball, during conversation...

_Get a fucking grip!_

He looked around the room. Sniffed. Sniffed, again. Took a few steps back into the hall. Into the kitchen. Around.

"No. Nothing before that." He looked at Lucy, "I smell mint from her. Nothing else. Just mint. No personal scent, no kitchen scent. Just mint."

"She's..." then Lucy cleared her throat. "Did someone call the Guard?"

"Yes, Lady Lucy," another woman, this one much older. Her eyes were deep, deep green, and terribly hard. "They'll be here, soon."

"I don't mean the guards outside, I mean the Council Guard. This is obviously has some magical component to it."

"Yes, Lady Lucy," the woman said. "It was the Council we contacted. They had a group close by."

Lucy looked at Laxus, and he thought of her call to Hisui, and wondered if the princesses had anything to do with that. Not that the princess typically had any political influence over the Council.

The main butler entered, called by another servant and obviously already aware of what he would see in the kitchen. "Lady Lucy. Mr. Laxus. If you two would please return to the ball so that we may handle this matter."

"No." Laxus shifted, "She smells like mint, and nothing else does. I'm going hunting. Lucy?"

"I'll stay for the guard. Good luck." She clutched at his hand for a brief second, "Be careful."

0000X0000


	10. The Upperstairs Crash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is hunting.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Ten

The Upperstairs Crash

Mik tried once more to kick her out of the kitchen and away from the murder victim, but Lucy refused to budge. Giving up, they all waited in the quiet kitchen. Even the sister had stopped crying to wait.

Lucy felt like she was trapped in a nightmare. Reminding herself of her own words to Laxus the previous week: _Never say never. Rational._

_He's the one who killed her._

Wasn't working.

_...downstairs. While you were dancing._

It was obvious to Lucy that none of the women would answer her questions. Especially not with Mik's stern presence in the room. She took the time to, though it horrified her, look over the body. She had the time. It would take awhile for the Guard to arrive and for Laxus to finish his search.

So she looked. Much as she didn't want to. She looked.

The tourniquet was typical of the other murders, and the body was posed. Her arms and legs broken so often and in such ways that they could be – and were – braided, tied off with a wide blue ribbon, which Lucy could see matches for in the hair of several other women in the house over the last days. Matching the rich blue of the family crest. The terrifyingly beautiful blue of the girl's lips.

With the uniform skirt pulled down, Lucy couldn't tell anything else, but she could admit to herself that she was too much of a coward to ask.

"Lucy?!" she started at her name spoken from such a familiar, though long unheard, voice.

She looked up, up, up, and smiled. "Lily. Hi." She reached out to touch the crisp, clean cuff of his coat. "I knew you were in the guard, but I didn't realize you would look so nice in the uniform."

He ignored her words and false pleasantries. "What are you doing here?"

"I... It's complicated. Can we talk about it after you care for this poor girl? Is Gajeel with you? Laxus is on the property, trying to hunt the killer."

"He is. He ran off the second we pulled up, saying..." the large exheed's eyes scanned the room, taking in the obvious hurt and fragility of their company, "stuff. Probably went after him."

"Probably so. Laxus will be ecstatic for the help." Lucy wanted to laugh, but couldn't make herself do it. Couldn't make herself lighten the mood. Shouldn't. Couldn't.

God, it hurt to breathe.

"Yeah, I bet. So, what happened here?" Lily turned so that he stood beside her, facing the scene.

She didn't state the obvious; she did lower her voice. "Laxus heard a scream, so we came from the dance. We found them all like this. Laxus said he smelled mint on the … on her, and nothing else, so he went searching for a match for the scent."

She didn't say that was all she knew. She didn't give him any further information. She listened as he questioned the others in the room. It was the oldest woman, the cook, who'd found her. She'd gone on break and then returned, and there she was, lying in the middle of the kitchen. No, she hadn't touched her. Why? Shocked. Too afraid. Obviously dead. Couldn't help. Yes, she was alone. No, she didn't know who could have done it.

"But what about the ghost she," Lucy pointed to the sister, "mentioned?"

And that's when the cook and Mik and all the surrounding girls stiffened. Lucy realized she shouldn't have singled out the sister. That would make her the focus of Mik's anger, and likely get her fired after any inquest was finished. And an inquest would be quick...

Well... maybe... The guards here were Lily and Gajeel, after all. _They_ weren't very likely to take bribes or bow to a little aristocratic pressure. To simply give up. With a little work, this season might not just end with a serial killer caught, but with more than one family being reminded how important _common_ lives were. And that that money didn't buy everything.

At least, she hoped not.

Several men and women in gear similar to Lily's, but deferring to him in rank, which was interesting considering the short period of time Lily had been in Council service, took pictures and recorded the statements from people her ex-guildmate had already questioned. They also meticulously cataloged every inch of the kitchen, including her own self, clothing, skin, saliva, hair, and magic trace.

Everyone upstairs already had that information on record.

Lucy still didn't mention Princess Hisui or their mission. She trusted Lily, and Gajeel, but she had told Laxus and the princess it was supposed to be a secret mission. And Laxus was her partner. She wasn't going to reveal anything without him present. And in private.

"Can you stay? For an hour or so after?"

The large cat was hesitant. His whiskers twitched, "We've gotta timeline to follow on a report like this."

"My," she said, "that's almost alarmingly rule abiding of... well, not of _you_ , but... does he actually manage to follow timelines when he's taking off after people as soon as he reaches crime scenes?"

It seemed Lily couldn't help but chuckle at that, despite the fact that it was probably also something of an irritation. "That would be why he has a partner."

"I thought a combination of jealousy and neediness was why he had a partner."

"That, too." Lily studied her for a long moment. "You weren't surprised to see me."

"I didn't realize you were stationed in this region of the country," she explained, "but I knew you were in the Guard. Last I heard, you were farther east."

"Got moved here just last week, actually. Gajeel was hot about it, too. We were run off a big gang deal off the coast."

"Money," she sighed. It was always money.

"Oh, yes." Lily's expression was as close to hers as it was possible to get on a large feline face.

"I'd think this Council would be above that. It's the 10... well, 9 Wizard Saints!"

"At the top, yes, but under them? There are a lot of guys between the 4 Kings and us, and a lot of those guys'll take bribes. And probably run from threats, too. It's a shame. We almost had that group. We've got a four-day leave coming up in two weeks..."

"And Gajeel has plans for _personal time_ at the south-eastern coast?"

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"Sounds like him. Rain or shine, sun or snow, always the beach bunny."

"You're the bunny, not me," came a deep voice from far too close behind her. She jumped and squeaked in surprise, glad that the rest of the guards and servants had cleared out by this point.

"You realize that it's your fault that... oh never mind." She turned to her partner, who stood behind and almost dwarfed the dark, iron dragon slayer. "Did you find anything?"

"Not a goddamn thing."

Which she could have guessed from the look on his face. She was expecting a little more explanation, however. "The scent is literally here and nowhere else on their land?"

"Exactly." He rubbed his hand through his hair, "I checked some of the house, too. Nothin'. Like the only place he was, was here."

Lucy pulled a silver key from her set. "Laxus? I say it's okay; you?"

"Yeah, go for it."

"Okay, Lily. This is what we know. Like the servants here said, she was one of four in the past four years at this house. What they don't know is that there were also four in the last four years at the Mason house, which we visited last week. Next week we will be at the Wilnlo residence, where they have had three murders in the last three years, and we are expecting a fourth. Then the Cartrights, who have had three. Followed by the Hardnoses and then Jaynee Adles's estate, where each has seen three murders in three years.

"Before you got here, there was a magic ward set around the place set to detect magecraft, but they must have deactivated it at some point, since it didn't react to your entry. You should probably ask about that. I don't know if the killer shut it down somehow, or if they turned it off in anticipation of your arrival, or if it's on and somehow recognizes and ignores Council Guard members."

"The last isn't likely," Laxus threw in.

"So you're on a job?" Lily asked, unnecessarily.

"Correct."

"For who?"

"That's confidential," she said before Laxus could answer, though he certainly didn't look like he was going to utter a single word. Letting her do most of the talking. She shouldn't be surprised. She wasn't surprised.

"Anything unusual about this one?" Gajeel asked her. Since he hadn't seen the body, she wasn't exactly sure what he meant.

"Ah? What do you..."

"Different from the other ones. The grunts showed me some of the stills when we were coming in. Fucked up, but I'm talkin' weird when put against the others."

"No. I don't think so."

Laxus grunted and moved a few steps forward so that he could join what had become an oddly close circle between the main kitchen counter and the large island. "She was younger than the rest. Not more than, what, fourteen?"

"Sister said she only recently turned fifteen," Lily answered, with a quick look at his notes.

Lucy looked up at Laxus, wanting to reach up, wanting to reach out, to all of them, to any of them. She didn't. Though, she realized that they'd all know. They'd all smell it on her. See it on her, even. But she still didn't. She stood her ground.

"That would make her the youngest, then. The rest were seventeen and older. I didn't even notice." Eyes down. Eyes up. Eyes down. Eyes up. "Was she..."

"Yes." All three of them. All three at once.

That was cruel. They didn't have to answer her like that.

"He not do that to all of them?" Gajeel asked. "What about the cloth around her neck, and her arms and legs being tied?"

"No pattern to the posing, and they're not always raped. No pattern to that, either." She lifted the key, "Open the Gate of the Southern Cross, Crux!"

The large cross appeared before and between them, hovering and more alert than usual.

"Miss Lucy."

"There was another death, Crux. Is there a difference of who is in the house now and who was in the house before she died. Before the ball began?"

"I don't have directly before the ball, Miss Lucy, because I was not active at that time. You had closed all of your gates to recuperate."

"I...oh no." She wilted, but before she could breakdown Laxus bumped her arm with his elbow.

"You had no choice. You were almost completely drained. Move on."

She swallowed, and looked up at her spirit.

Crux's eyes were wide. "I do have a reading from before that period, so that would be from closer to the festivities that followed your brunch."

"Okay, that's fine. If that's what you have, that's fine. Who is missing?"

"No one."

"Shit," Laxus hissed.

"Too easy," Lily shrugged.

Gajeel nodded, "Bastard hid himself like a fuckin' ghost. Shit, he'd have to be a fucking idiot to run off. He'd stand out."

"Fine. What about matching the men here now with those we already have on the list. Does that knock anyone off?"

"Yes, Miss Lucy. Both Lords Carmine chose to skip this event, making them no longer suspect. Randi was with his brothers this morning, but left before lunch and has yet to return."

"But this guy doesn't leave a trace," Laxus said, "he could have returned, done this and left again. I know we've been keeping up this list, Lucy, and I know you think he wants to show himself, but who's to say this person isn't _just_ anyone coming in? Ama-"

"I know! I know. Sweet stars, you don't think I know? But then we have to suspect the entire _world_ , Laxus. Proximity and consistent contact make the most sense, and it's all we have to go on." She was so close to a breakdown. Too close. "Old-man Crux, how is he doing this? What ways can he use to hide that are this thorough?"

While he searched, Lucy thought of something else.

"How long before we found her did she die?"

"Probably only minutes," Laxus answered. "There was still some warmth in her."

"And how long since he... since he started? You said at the beginning, it takes time and privacy to be that brutal. We were watching half of the men on our list..."

All four of them were remembering the girl's mangled limbs, and the… the rest. "An hour, at the very least. I'd say something closer to two."

"Then Duke Maybine is off the table."

"The letch?"

"The most recent one, yeah. Anyone you don't remember seeing? Two hours is a long time to disappear..."

Gajeel cleared his throat, looking away from all of them he said, "Wouldn't have t'be done all at once. He could've grabbed the girl, dragged her off somewhere private, secured her, and gone back to whatever it is he was suppos'ta be doin'. Then, he goes back and," he rolled his shoulders. "Doesn't even have to do much. Just a little. Maybe a few minutes. Goes, comes back, goes, comes back. I'd bet good cash folks are drinkin' good hard shit up there. No one's payin' too much attention to who comes an goes, 'sept you. Asshole cudda spent all day killin' her and taken all've two minutes to put her on display."

Her heart and stomach dropped because he was right. Gajeel was right, which made the suspect harder to pinpoint. Gajeel was right, which meant the victim suffered that much more. Gajeel was right and good god, she was going to throw up!

She barely made it out of the door and over the hedge before she lost the watered wine and hors d'oeuvres she'd picked at during the dancing. While she vomited, hands gathered her hair and rubbed her back.

"Sorry," Gajeel sounded sincerely upset to the point that she almost stopped puking to laugh in shocked surprise.

"Wasn't just you," she backed away from the hedge. Her legs were trembling, and she didn't fight the arm he placed around her waist, helping to hold her upright. "Wanted to ever since..."

"Don't blame you."

"Thank you for helping me."

"Lily said I should."

She rolled her eyes. The months away hadn't changed him one bit. Of course, she looked at him in that white uniform, that wasn't entirely true. Sure, like Laxus, he'd stayed with his partner, so that hadn't changed since Fairy Tail. Unlike Laxus, he didn't lose a grandfather or anything like that. He wasn't super close to many of the guild, not really, really close. Of all of them, one would think he'd be able to adjust to the outside world better than the rest...

But she remembered him calling for her on Tartarus, calling her name, stepping between her and danger, asking if she was safe. He said her name now, and there were hints of that still. That question. That cry. _Are you safe_?

No. He wasn't close to many of them. He sparred with Natsu a bit, and used her as a dancer.

The hand on her hip was tighter than it needed to be to keep her upright. She didn't complain.

Juvia, of course, had disappeared, but he could probably handle that. Lily. But he kept Lily with him...

"You spent much time with Levy?" she whispered, for his ears only. "Lily says you get leave time..."

"No!"

"Liar." Lucy stood up on tip-toe so that she could hiss into his shoulder, closer to his ear, "I have pictures of a certain blue-haired Council woman from a western division and a certain dragon slayer entering a certain inn in a certain town."

"You a stalker now?"

"Reporter," she huffed.

"Fancy-ass name for stalker," he sneered. "And anyway, you're an underwear model."

"Oh, Gajeel! I didn't know you were a fan."

"I'm not. Lev..."

"Mmm, what was that?"

"Fuck."

"I bet."

The two of them made it back to the kitchen, and Lucy rinsed her mouth out in the large sink before raiding the cold storage for lemon water.

"Lucy," Loke materialized behind her, a hand on her shoulder. "You told Char you would be at the party tonight. You asked Horologium to remind you, but have been distracted. It starts in an hour."

Laxus was surprised, "What party? I thought we just left a party."

She shrugged, exhausted. "Another one of those sneaky contract-cause-and-effect events. They're secret, and only for the young and unwed. Everyone knows – since everyone was young and unmarried at some point – that they're going on somewhere, but the time and location are impromptu and unknown until a few hours before. Not every house has them. It's tonight, now, at the lake east of the gardens. You're invited."

"We're going?"

"I don't... I don't... we can see how the younger men behave, I guess. The rules are looser. Don't be surprised to see a few random folk show up."

"Like?"

She blushed, looking from him to Lily and Gajeel, and then the floor. "Ah. Um. Well. Sometimes the boys, the younger ones, show off by bringing prostitutes." Then she looked up at Laxus and smiled, "And _entertainers_."

"Seriously?" Gajeel laughed. Lily, too, seemed amused, if slightly horrified. Possibly at the thought of Lucy being around hookers, since he was looking at her with a lot of concern. But there were so many reasons to show her concern that it was hard to tell.

For Laxus, who had spent too much time with young aristocratic males, he wasn't surprised. It was like Lucy said right from the beginning, they liked to show off how big and rough they were. Even, or maybe especially if they weren't.

"Yes, well," she continued, blush driving away some of the pallor, "They're young and stupid and have lots of money. I feel sorry for the women who have to put up with them. Or would, if they weren't getting paid. And the smart ones pump 'em full of booze so that they have to deal with them even less."

"Cana'd do that sort of job, you know," Loke told the four of them. "Information gathering. Like how I got the Council addresses. Well, not quite the same way," he grinned, and Lucy rolled her eyes. "Not a whole lot. She likes to kick ass, much as the rest, but she could go ply guys, drink. They'd drink and drink. They'd get so drunk they'd say anything in the world-"

"Ghihihi, an' that chick can't get shitfaced."

"Only with Bacchus," Lucy agreed.

"She was already drunk," Lily argued.

She shrugged, "So was Bacchus."

"But his magic pretty much depends on him being drunk," Laxus said, "so Bacchus really doesn't count."

And then, in that second, they all shared the same exact memory. Cana, drunk off her ass. She knew they did. It was like she could feel the burning connection. She could feel it in her side, below her ribs, where Laxus was stamped. Her arm. Her back.

It hurt worse than any other pain she'd felt in the whole of her life.

"But yeah," Lucy panted, "A few prostitutes. A lot more booze. Louder music. Higher hem lines. It's a club in the woods."

"Then, we're going."

Lucy saw his expression, saw the automatic no there. He could tell that she didn't want to, and that meant it would be harder to convince him to go. Her skin was pale and she smelled sick. She imagined that if he had his way, she'd be upstairs, asleep.

But that wasn't the way the night was going.

"Loke. I need suitable clothing. Laxus, you'll be fine just removing the jacket and unbuttoning the top three or so buttons unless you want to change..."

"I'm fine. Like I give a shit about clothes."

"What about you two?" she looked at their nakama. "I can probably get Virgo to replicate the house guard uniform, and people will be so drunk that if you hide in the trees..."

"We needed to make our report," Lily apologized. "But you know where we are, now, so don't hesitate to call. And we'll be back and forth here checking on this case, so make sure to contact us with anything new."

Lily stood stiff for a moment before returning Lucy's spontaneous hug. "I always knew where to find you," she countered. "And I'll send a message if anything else happens, specifically for you two. Laxus and I'll be on the circuit. You can find us there or contact us through the princess if you discover anything of interest." No one mentioned that she just casually let slip their confidential client. They all knew she hadn't done it on accident. She smiled. It was small and soft, but a smile. "Or if you just want to chat."

"Likes to stick her nose in, doesn't she," Gajeel growled, and Lucy giggled a bit as she hugged him, too.

She whispered, "Tell her I said hello next time you meet up. And be more careful. I won't be there to throw _any others_ off the scent."

The iron dragon slayer's furious blush was the best thing Lucy had seen in weeks. Maybe even months. That the man didn't grumble or bluster or make denials none of them would believe made it even better.

Laxus nodded his own goodbyes to the two of them, and then he and Lucy were once again alone. She felt... the only word she could come up with was _forlorn_ , and that made her feel guilty when Laxus was still with her.

She wasn't alone.

0000

She made it to the room before she broke down. He … he started sooner. When they were still in the kitchen. When he was searching for the killer. When he knew he was failing. He broke down.

He broke down. By shutting off. Going blank. It made him useless to her and her pain. He watched as she knelt, half-sprawled, on the floor. Sobbing. And he felt nothing.

Not a single goddamn thing.

He had _failed_. Failed to protect. Failed to do the only thing he had charged himself with doing: Protect. And that girl had died because of it. Suffered because of it.

So he felt something. One thing. Self-loathing.

Loke appeared, two cups in-hand. "You two will be useless as you are now. Not that I don't understand, but you both have jobs to do." He sat in front of Lucy and put one of the cups next to her. "This is an upper. It is from the Spirit World, safe. No lasting damage, not addictive. It will last four hours. You won't _forget_ , but it will allow you to distance yourself so you can go downstairs and do what needs doing."

He stood up and walked to Laxus, holding out the second cup. "This isn't the same drink. You wouldn't be yourself with an upper, but it has the same distancing properties, push the sorrow aside. And it will calm your mind." He lowered his voice. "She's going to have to... you know, you already know, and I know, and neither of us like it, but she's going to have to do things and behave in a way that neither of us like. And you can't react."

"I know that. I haven't."

"You haven't _so far_. But this is going to be worse. You heard her. This party isn't going to have the same rules. Their parents aren't going to be watching them. _There are going to be prostitutes_. What do you think that means for her?"

And _there_ were his feelings. Mainly anger. A touch of fear. That all-encompassing need to protect, swamped by worthlessness.

"You'll need to watch over her, but not interfere unless necessary, all while trying to get your own information. I'm sure there will be a few women trying to get you to have a few private meetings in the woods, but they won't be able to force you. With Lucy," he looked at his master and Laxus was again flush with anger.

Goddamn.

"Take the drink. You have four hours. Get her back before the four hours are up, because I don't expect her to process the shock while under the spell of the drink."

He did as ordered. Loke was right.

It tasted, oddly enough, like weak tea and rose petals. Calming. Maybe. Yes. Calming. He was able to move. To crouch next to Lucy. To put an arm around her shoulders, and to help her drink the drink she was given.

"What does it taste like?" he asked. Honestly curious. The calm of his drink allowing for that curiosity to surface.

"Soda," she hiccuped, "lime, and blueberries. And it's a little metallic."

Laxus nodded as if that all made sense and helped her to her feet. "Go change. We've got less than an hour to get to this thing."

"It'll be okay if we're a little late," she exhaled stress. He watched most of the agony in her drain away. She almost looked like she did before. Before they'd heard anything about the murders.

Before their world had crumbled.

He waited for the shaky feeling of unhappiness that the thought should bring, and was slightly nauseated when he remained calm. He didn't like drugs.

"Go change, Lucy. I'll wait."

She went to the bathroom, taking her keys with her. He shrugged out of the jacket, having permission to do so, and decided to change shirts completely. He did the same with his shoes. If the party was taking place outside, it would be better to wear his more standard footwear than the nicer shoes he had for the ball.

Pants still worked, though.

It didn't take Lucy much more time to change than it took him. He had barely finished and sat down to wait when she came out of the bathroom, her face clean and free of tear stains or puffiness, and in clothes she apparently deemed suitable for their outing.

The top she wore was the yellow side of cream and the neckline drawn straight across her collarbone, with the hem falling below her hips. Despite the fact that it was fitted, and the fabric looked almost fluid, it was bizarrely conservative.

And she was wearing pants. Pants.

His confusion must have shown on his face because she laughed. Quiet a lot, actually. The drink was working. Well. Very well. Her eyes were almost glowing. And she turned.

To show him, to let him see that the collar, the whole shirt was held together by a chain with a heavy lock pendant pulling it to mid-back. Keeping that neckline straight. Just a few thin chains and that heavy lock and somehow it was all staying on. It displayed the whole expanse of her back, while shielding the more commonly displayed front.

Well. That made sense.

"And the pants?"

"Everyone there will be in skirts. They've been in skirts all their lives. Long skirts. Short, tight skirts. Lots of those. Sweet rebellion from the ballroom. I understand that completely. But I can do more." She grinned, "I know what I'm doing."

"Never said you didn't. Never even thought it."

0000

Loke wasn't even close to nailing down how not-good he was going to feel at the whole situation. He was seconds from killing a third of the men in this hellish den of immature rebellious bullshit. And those were just the ones touching her. He was being generous. Kind, even.

The place was deep into the woods in an unnatural clearing, magically covered. The clear, shining night sky augmented by only a few small lanterns, protecting privacy. Creating privacy.

Huge speakers were set up at four corners, forming a large dance area, with a generous open, self-serve bar off to one side.

Laxus chose the bar. Lucy chose to dance.

He very much wished they'd both chosen to go home. Wherever the fuck that was.

They'd swarmed her like worms to sweet fruit. Grabbing. Touching. Sliding over and around her.

She laughed. Talked. More than once, closed her eyes and dropped her head on the shoulder of her partner. Momentarily heavy with grief. The drink wasn't strong enough. He'd watch her muscles almost give out.

_Movement is joy_.

Not always.

The usual suspects enjoyed her company. The triad, as he'd come to think of them, and the older brother, whose name she'd said in surprise. The men she sat with at dinner, they danced with her here, as they'd danced with her earlier in the evening. But now, when they touched her, it was bolder. Now there was no inch of space between their bodies.

Everyone danced with her. Because she was right: Lots of cleavage, lots of knees and lower thighs. No open backs, but her. No fully outlined legs, but her. Even leaving out her magnetic personality, she stood out.

She stood out, and they flocked to her.

He was certain, he was sure she was certain, one of these men was a killer. A monster.

Touching her.

And it was what they _wanted_. For some reason. He couldn't quite put a finger on what that reason was.

"So," Richard, the calmest of the triad, sat next to him, "you enjoying yourself?"

"Lucy promised me good booze when I signed on," he shook the glass he was holding, the one with some kind of alcohol in it that he hadn't bothered to drink from, not that anyone else was sober enough to notice, "and _that_ is no disappointment." He leaned back against the bar, "But I know I wouldn't want to put up with this my whole life. I don't even live with it, really, but for her sake, I've gotta play by the rules. Only a few weeks, and I'm ready to go mad."

"Price of wealth," Richard shrugged.

"I may not have the money, but I like my freedom. I know Lucy thought she'd give her dad's world a try again, but I can't believe she'd fucking stay. I get even more now why she hauled ass back then."

"Don't think too highly of us, do you?"

"Has shit to do with you as individuals. It's about the culture. Everyone has assholes in their families, and rebellious periods, and whatever, but the control that values the money over the child's well-being," the thought of his father, "that's fucked. That's fucked anywhere, and it happens to be the foundation of what I see here."

"The thought is that the money is the child's well-being."

Laxus snorted, "Bullshit. Bullshit, and you know it. Two weeks, and I've seen too many girls in 'what makes me (father) wealthier now' relationships versus 'what makes my daughter happy, safe, and secure in the future' relationships. Maybe these girls get married off for sons if those are the children you mean, but I still call bullshit."

Richard laughed, "You're smarter than you look."

"Lucy'd probably say I'd have to be."

"Probably. She's pretty smart, too."

"Tell me something she doesn't remind me of daily."

"Magna mentioned the body," Richard threw out from absolutely nowhere.

He froze. "Yeah."

"Surprised she's down here."

Laxus decided to take a risk, "She drugged herself."

"She _what_?!"

"She promised to come. Part of being a celestial mage is keeping promises. Granted, they're usually not so strict, at least not that I'm aware of, but Lucy's a step above. And, anyway, people'd ask questions if she didn't come... it was what she wanted to do, so she did."

"You couldn't have locked her in her room or something?"

"You know Lucy. That shit doesn't work. I don't like it, but she wants what she wants. And that's okay."

"Has she ever wanted you?"

Laxus looked at the small man. "You're asking if I've fucked her."

He nodded.

"Not for you... Magna?"

"Lots of people are curious. You travel together. Guild mates. Both, you know, good looking. No one would be surprised."

"Someone wants to ask her, but doesn't want to step on my territory," Laxus clarified.

"Something like that."

"Lucy's her own person," he barely managed to say. "She says yes? All good." Laxus leaned down, "But I hear of anyone pushing her when she's said no, and I will start mass castrations, got me? Nah. I've never had sex with her, but that doesn't mean I'll let someone take advantage." He looked around the clearing. "That applies to _all_ the women here. I've got good ears. I'm here first and foremost for Lucy, but I won't just sit and ignore a man attempting that shit, got me?"

"Loud and clear."

"Good."

"You should really unclench, though, man. People here came to party, you know? They didn't come _here_ to say no."

"Two hours ago I was looking at the mutilated body of a 15 year old girl. It'll be awhile before I _unclench_. Lucy came here to forget, not to say yes. She might not be the only one like that. My point remains unchanged."

Richard slid off the chair, clearly deciding there was more fun and less scary to be had elsewhere. He didn't even bother to say goodbye. Not that Laxus gave a shit.

With him gone, Laxus focused his full attention back on Lucy. She'd been isolated somewhat from the larger group of dancers, but wasn't concerned by it. Wasn't worried. But then, he wasn't entirely sure if the drink would keep proper reactions away from her. Would she feel frightened when she _should_ feel frightened?

He should have asked more questions.

_His_ fucking drink had calmed him down too fast. Thank goodness it was burning off fast, too.

_Her own person_ , his ass. He should have tied her to the bed, locked the goddamn room down, and said _fuck you_ to this entire thing.

Her expression said she was fine. _He_ probably looked seconds from carnage. That might be enough to keep some of them at bay. Not enough of them, since it wasn't all of them.

He let his gaze sweep over the leisure areas.

Prostitutes. Lucy hadn't been kidding. There weren't all that many, but they were obvious, and the men with them flaunted the fact. It was a wonder the young ladies of station put up with _any_ of the men at this place with the way they were acting.

After taking a few turns with Lucy and the wealthy girls on the floor, the triad (minus Richard, who was running his question-and-answer errands) had retired to play games with those women on the couches. Char and Magna were still clothed, but more than a few young men had loosened their belts, and his unfortunately – in this case – powerful senses of smell and hearing (and when his eyes happened to accidentally stray that direction at the wrong moment, sight) had caught a few still with their pants up crossing the line between playing and sex.

All of it was consensual (he was paying attention, much as he _didn't_ want to), much of it was extremely sad (seriously, before they could even get their pants off... he wanted to go yell at those boys: _work on your stamina, for real... one of these poor girls – or their younger sister, or their, god forbid, daughter – is going to have to get married to you some day_...).

_I mean, sure, you've got all that money, but have a little bit of pride, too_.

He thought to pay attention to the sad ones, though. If any of those were still on their list, they might be worth considering. Shame, that sort of shame, might be a reason to kill and mutilate a woman... lots of women.

Back to Lucy. Dancing with Runnar. Really, really close. Hands where he didn't want to see hands.

He wanted nothing to do with that, so he turned his attention to the general clearing.

"Um, Laxus?"

_Goddamn it._

"En." He hardened his mouth and let his eyelids go heavy. Drunk. He wanted to look drunk. Less approachable. Not in any mood to deal with Amilia Domino. What was a girl like her even _doing_ in a place like this.

He looked down at her with her shifting posture. Her big eyes. Her short skirt and halter top, tied loosely at the neck. Heard how fast her heartbeat was. Saw how flushed her face.

Remembered in a terrible, horrific flash Lucy's story about guards and gardens and plans.

_Shit._

"Um...I thought, it's a little loud here. Maybe I'd walk? But...maybe it's dark, you know? So maybe...maybe you'd walk with me?"

Shit. Shit. Shit.

_Go for blunt. Just because you refuse, doesn't mean you'll lose her for information, and even if you do, it's fine, because no._ Hell, _no_.

"No one's walking out there, Amilia. If the music's too loud, you should go back inside. I'm waiting to walk Lucy in, probably in about thirty minutes. If you want to hop on this stool next to me, I'll walk you in at the same time. I don't want you walking back alone. But just wandering around here? Nope. No can do. That's not what this place is for."

He thought she might press him, but a fight started near the leisure area, which caught his attention. Amilia's, too. Everyone's really. There was a lot of screaming, the triad was surrounding one of the prostitutes, who was standing on the back of a couch, holding onto Magna's head, and yelling at someone in the middle of a crowd. There was even more noise. Char with his face under a sparkly skirt. Some yelling about parents.

Lucy was pushing herself out of it, and carefully making her way through the mass of people now watching the fight to meet him at the bar.

"I think I want to go," was her simple statement. Her eyes, which had glowed after first drinking Loke's Celestial potion, were almost completely burned out. Dying lights. Nothing in this place worth reflecting. Not the stars, not the lanterns, not him.

He nodded.

"Amilia, you wanna walk back with us?"

The young woman huffed and walked away. Into the crowd Lucy had fought her way free of.

"Guess that's a no," he shrugged. "Come on. Let's go back. You okay to walk on your own?"

"Yeah, Laxus. It's fine. I'm good."

He lowered his voice as they broke the line of trees to exit the clearing, "It's okay if you're _not_ good, Lucy. You know that, right?"

"Yes. Yes, I know. And, technically, I'm not. I know I'm not. But I'm no more not-good than you are, so leave it. We still have a job to do."

"You're right." He was going to touch her, to … to … to try and do _something_ , but she was right. They had a job to do.

"I let Loke out. He'll watch the house. And Crux is back on. The ward, could you feel it? Covered that whole clearing, too. Everyone in that fight, just now, still on our list, has to be exempt from the ward not to flash on it."

"They were all in the hunting party," he said. "I recognized most of them. Are you sure you have enough energy to keep Crux-"

"I do. So that means _everyone_ who was part of the hunting party was exempted from the fighting ward. Crux will put that with the list and see if that changes anything."

"Okay. Okay."

She stumbled over a root, and he put an arm around her shoulders. Neither of them said anything about it.

0000

She joined him in the bed after she finally finished in the bathroom. She had taken her time. It wasn't just soaking in the bathtub – though, she had done that – she had also used that time to mourn.

He hated listening to her cry from the other side of a locked door.

Whatever was in the drink Loke had given her had worn off, leaving her drained and empty. Dull-eyed. Weeks now they'd shared a bed, barely making contact, at least not until after they were asleep, but tonight he grabbed an arm as she slid under the sheets and pulled her to him. When she didn't resist, he carefully settled her head on his shoulder and put his hand on her hip.

"You're wearing underwear," she slurred at him, confusion and surprise warring with exhaustion for dominance in her expression.

"Didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

She pushed her nose into his skin, and it was cold still from the outside. "You wouldn't have. You can't."

He fought not to pull her tighter to him. Not to clutch her like the only anchor he had. Not to grab at her like she was something he couldn't let go of. Not to touch her like he owned her. He didn't want to frighten her. So he kept his grasp loose. Nothing too close. Just to remind her he was there. To remind himself that she was there.

"He messed up again," she told him, voice as blank as her eyes.

Considering the kill, he couldn't figure out how she came to that conclusion.

"The mint. Three years and not a single fleck of skin, now the crime scene smelled of mint. Three years using some sort of hiding magic, and this time it was imperfect. Three years of control, and suddenly he's sloppy."

"What's it mean?"

"Something changed. Could be small. Maybe his kid's angry at him, or he had a bad hand at gambling. Something big. His wife's cheating, he's facing bankruptcy. Something unexpected." She turned to him, "Us."

"What?"

"From what I can tell, these things haven't changed since I was 16. People get older, but it's the same story over and over again. We're the only odd addition."

"He knows why we're here?"

"Maybe. Or he just knows who we are. Our reputations. That we're two people not likely to put up with what he's doing, and we're willing and – to do something about it."

And able. The phrase was willing and able, but he didn't correct her.

"That change anything?"

"Yes. I think it solidifies our assumption that he's not one of the older, older ones." She rubbed her left hand over her stomach. When it brushed his arm, she clutched at it. "I think it's Runnar."

The man she'd just spent two hours dancing with. The man with his hand on her thigh. In her hair. On her cheeks.

Her body was trembling and sweating.

First instinct was to pull her closer, but then that might also call up an instinctual fear in her. Capture. Flight. He held his ground, stayed as he was.

"Is there something else?" he asked. "It's more than the mint, or you would have said sooner. It was something about..." he didn't say the word _dance_. He didn't talk about how he touched her.

She shook her head, "There was... could you smell mint on him?"

"No." Not that he had tried, but Laxus could very clearly smell the man on her, and there was no mint. Silk, cotton, alcohol, various foods, heavily of dogs – he must have several as a hunter – and gunpowder, and a cologne several other men chose to wear. He had smelled common. Ordinary. "If it wasn't just the scent, what was it?"

"His wife left him three years ago. They didn't divorce until recently, she was tired of the waiting for nothing to change, Char told me, but Runnar said that she took the kids and returned to her parents three years ago."

Laxus sucked in a huge gulp of air. Her head almost rolled off his shoulder. He lifted his hand to hold it, and curled his fingers in her hair. "Those are big things."

"Yes," she said. "Yes, they are."

He smelled her tears, but none fell to wet his skin.

"Before I left my father's house, he offered... he offered for me to elope with him. If I couldn't stomach marrying that man my father chose, we could... he offered to save and protect me. His family was just the slightest bit richer and more powerful, at that point in time. My father couldn't have retaliated directly. I would have been safe." She choked on a breath. "I told him no. I told him he shouldn't marry out of obligation, and neither would I. And then I... I went out and had my adventure. I met everyone. Met you. And now this."

It was she who pulled in closer. Who lifted her arms and turned fully into him. "They don't start out a serial killer. None of them start out killing. They do other things first." She absolutely _stank_. Despair. Guilt. And a man. A man who had very likely killed, and killed so many.

She shook. "When he was young, he was... he was like Natsu or Gray. Energetic, physical. He liked to run around, play. He got into fights, but it wasn't to _hurt_ people. It was... He was the sort of person who was meant to be out, _doing_ things. Getting dirty, breaking up mountains with bare hands and will. But he wasn't allowed. He was stuffed down into this little tiny place we're forced to be. Polite society. Our tight clothes and ridged rules. I know _everyone_ and _everywhere_ has laws. There are terrible parents and terrible lives, no matter how much money you have, but he...

"He got mean. Such a sweet boy got mean, but it was only mean like so many others, so no one cared. He was mean to servants. To common folk. People who didn't matter, in his eyes. So many men of station are; so many women. Caring, that is what is unusual, and he had cared before. When he wanted to be, there was no one in all the world more charming. I didn't see his meanness until I was fourteen, and he was so charming that I could actually forget it. I actually _did_ forget it. Until tonight."

"With the prostitute."

"Yes."

"Lots of people look down on prostitutes," he offered. "And it was his brother. Concern for their reputation isn't-"

"You weren't close enough to see his face. His eyes. I won't deny other possibilities, but I think it's him."

Laxus grunted, "Alright." He thought for a moment, fingers still tangled in her hair. It occurred to him that she had already considered this possibility. That the killer was not just known to her, but close to her. The way she shook, but did not cry. The way she was hurt, but not surprised.

Was embarrassing that he hadn't figured that out sooner.

"Do we change our travel plans?" he asked. "Want me to jump us, or do we follow behind him? Or travel with him..."

The most painful choice; the most useful choice; the choice that might save lives.

"He asked me to sleep with him tonight, and I said no. If I suggested we travel together, it would seem weird. We could try following him., but how would we do that without being suspicious?" She shook her head, "I think we should stay to our plan and go ahead, like we did here."

He nodded, agreeing with whatever it was her decision had been, not especially sure, since he was sort of caught on that _sleep with_ him part.

"Lucy... Are we sure no one knows you're in here with me?"

She looked up at him, her eyes large and confused. "Yes."

"I'm going to go check your room."

"You think... you think he... oh..."

"If he is what you say he is, fuck yes, I do. And not just that..." he was pulling on pants when he glanced over his shoulder. She was doing the same. He expected her to. "Stay here."

"No. I'll check my room. You check the kitchens. The servant's quarters."

"He only kills one a house! He's already killed one, Lucy; that's not the worry right now!"

"Yes it is, Laxus. He's spiraling. If what we both think is true, he could do anything. He's making mistakes. If he needs to hurt something, he's going to go after a servant. He doesn't hurt socialites," she muttered, pulling on the pants she'd been wearing an hour earlier.

He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "You're not a socialite anymore! If he's bitter and angry. If you told him no..."

"The girls he went after weren't mages. I am."

"Lucy, _please_." Fear cut at his insides because he knew she wouldn't listen. He knew she wouldn't stay in the room. She was a mage, a Fairy Tail mage, guild or no guild. She wouldn't be held back. God, it made him want to puke, the fear.

"No!" She pushed him off. "You go downstairs. I'll check here." She raised a silver key, "Plue! We're looking for mint. Okay?"

The shaking of her small carrot-nosed spirit helped him to see that she wasn't shaking anymore. Her jaw was set, and she was going to do what she was going to do.

"Shit. _Shit_." He buttoned his shirt as if it had insulted him. "Fine. Just be careful."

"Yeah. You, too."

0000

He found her in the storage room. On her stomach, naked. Arms broken, broken, broken. Broken, broken, and broken so many times it was a wonder he could recognize them as arms.

Broken so they looped over her shoulders to knot at the center of her bare back.

A small hole visible in the opening of the fingers. Like a lock.

_Lucy_. Holy god, he had to-

A tiny, ragged breath. A weak, fluttery heartbeat. If it could even be called a beat. This girl was _alive_. And she wouldn't be. Not if he left here for any number of seconds.

Shock and restricted airflow. She wouldn't be. He broke the spoon. Tore the underwear. Freed her airway, but she didn't even have the energy to gasp. He kept her on her stomach, careful when he touched her. Careful of those... those arms.

Her hair – her long, blond hair – still smelled faintly of mint. Bare back and fingers broken to look like a lock. There was no choice to make; though, his mind was a riot of panic at the possibilities his departure left his partner to face. Unwilling to waste time, he pulled the girl to him, and transported them to the guardhouse at the front gate.

"She needs a healer," he told the horrified guard. "Where can I find someone?"

"That's Maggie! What...what happened?!"

"I don't know. I found her like this, but that isn't the issue right now. She needs to get to a healer and she needs to get to a healer _now_. She'll die if we don't do something. Is there one in the house, or does she need to go to town?"

"There's one in the servant village. I can call-"

Laxus shook his head, "Too long. Hold on to me, I'll take us there."

0000X0000


	11. Pocket Full of Rosemary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lucy finds horror, Laxus finds fear, and they together find something to look forward to.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Eleven

Pocket Full of Rosemary

According to Plue, there was no mint smell coming from the room she had been assigned, which was a floor up and two halls over from Laxus's. "Open the Gate of the Maiden. Virgo!" she whispered.

"Princess."

"I need you to sneak into the room and see if it is empty or not."

Virgo's chains chimed as she gave a shallow bow, "Of course."

Lucy and Plue waited outside of the door for a moment while their pink-haired friend vanished inside. She was cold, so very cold. She couldn't remember a winter so cold-

"Princess..." Virgo popped back out, bowing. But not before Lucy caught the faint hint of concern in her usually calm, blank eyes.

"Yes?"

"It's empty, but it has been damaged."

Lucy's cold blood froze. Crystallized. It was hard to force herself forward. Cracks broke her apart. She opened the door.

She gasped.

It was chaos.

Chaos.

_Damaged_?

The bed was _broken_. One of the four-posts was cracked and on the floor. The mattress was ripped. Side tables and chairs were thrown on their sides. Firewood flung around. Mirror glass shards stuck in the walls like knives. Flashing with the light of the small lantern in the middle of the room that still worked.

Her hands convulsed and she raised them to grasp at her chest. Remembering the need to breathe.

"Oh… oh…" she shook her head. Lifted her hands to press against her mouth. Her eyes.

_He might hurt you_ , Laxus's voice was very clear inside her head. Almost as if he were actually standing in the room with her. She swallowed.

"No," she disagreed, "he won't."

She was strong. She was certain.

She was.

Maybe.

_Yes_.

The keys were warm on her hip. Warm through the thick fabric of her pants. She touched them. Cursed through the sudden pain. Not warm; hot. Blistering.

"Leo," she whispered, blowing on her fingers.

"Princess." Loke came to her, sparkling, glittering; glorious in a dark place.

"What's wrong?"

He pushed his glasses up his nose, and his lips twisted into a concerned frown. "Nothing's wrong but that you're planning to face a serial killer by basically making yourself bait."

Ah. Worry. Loke knew her well.

"It's the best way," she argued.

He clearly didn't agree. "I beg to differ-"

"The _fastest_ way."

He had no rebuttal to that.

"Why isn't Laxus with you?"

She smiled, "Does my strongest spirit," the smile faltered, returned, "not feel up to protecting me?"

He wasn't amused. "I won't play games with your safety, Lucy. Where is Laxus?"

"Where I need him, in the off chance that I am wrong. He's a teleporter, Loke. If I need him, he'll come to me." She managed to completely ignore the fact that he'd have no way to know if she needed him or where to find her if he somehow _did_ know.

"I don't like it."

"I know. Close the Gate of the Lion-"

"Lucy!"

"Sorry, Loke." She took one last horrified glance of the devastation of the room assigned to her, of that place she should have been sleeping, and left. "Come on, Plue. Runnar's room next."

0000

It took Laxus less than ten minutes to get to the healer's and leave the girl, Maggie, and the guard. Though the man requested that he stay, Laxus refused. There wasn't a single damn thing he could do for her. The healer had everything under control. She had a type of time-distortion magic that allowed her to stabilize patients who were terribly injured, just as the girl was. There was nothing he could do to help with that.

And he had other important things to get to.

First, notifying Gajeel and Lily. He didn't want that to be number one, but the house would need searching, and he couldn't hit the whole place as fast as it needed covering by himself.

Second, getting back to Lucy. What he most needed to do. What he most wanted to do. What he _had_ to do.

He left the healer's house and pulled his power around him. The Council guard had stationed themselves near the town, and were easy to find. He dropped down mere feet from Gajeel's tent with a thunderous roar that woke the entire unit.

"Lily! Gajeel! Another attack at the house. Girl survived, but is unconscious." Laxus watched the men roll out of their tents, half-dressed and alarmed. "I-she'll probably die. Surviving that... she'd need a good healer. More than the basic shit they've got here. Send someone for Wendy. Call Mest. I've got to get back. Left Lucy alone." He began to spark, no one else had said a word. "Leave us out of it when you tell Wendy what happened."

Without waiting for a reply, Laxus ripped energy from within and without, and shot away. There was an afterimage of Gajeel giving orders and the lingering sound of Lily's growl in his ears as he landed at the Holens' front gate.

He had a moment of concern. What if Runnar reset the wards? Which would be the perfect way to keep him out and away from Lucy. But there was no alarm, and he entered the house with no difficulty.

He wanted to scream her name. He didn't. He scented the air. No mint. Nothing to help find the killer.

Lucy.

Lucy.

_Fuck_.

He ran upstairs.

Second floor. Third. Fourth. Other side of the hou-

Her door. Her door, and Runnar's scent was all over it.

Runnar's scent was all over it, and Lucy had been by, but hadn't stayed. Still no mint.

Runnar _had_ come. Just like he'd been afraid of.

Lucy _had_ come, but hadn't stayed.

He knew the room was empty, but he opened the door anyway. He shouldn't have. He shouldn't have. _Holy fucking shit_ , he absolutely shouldn't have.

The room was a wreck. A wreck. Had they fought? No blood. He couldn't smell blood. There was a hint of Lucy's magic, but no mint. But then this guy, this guy _left no blood_!

He was popping with sparks, probably scorching the carpet. He couldn't give the slightest shit. Neither of them were in her room, and the room was a fucking wreck. Where. Where? _Where was she_?

Track her. He had to track her scent. No mint, but he could smell her. He wasn't hiding her, so maybe he didn't have her. She'd be somewhere in the house. She had to be.

0000

Plue led her to Runnar's room. She knew where it was, she gave him the general direction. He stumbled a few steps in front of her on his soft paws. When she reached the doors, she was terrified. Without question, she was _terrified_. Hundreds of pictures, pictures she never wanted to see and wished she could forget she ever saw, flashed before her eyes, and she was _terrified_.

Plue nodded at her. Making no noise, keeping quiet, but patting her knee frantically. Lifting his nose, indicating the room, and the smell.

She was seconds away from hyperventilating.

She opened the door.

The room was empty, and cold. Literally cold. This wasn't her fear. This wasn't her guilt or her sorrow. She let out a breath and her vision of the room was obscured by the mist. Empty, she somewhat expected. Cold, she did not. The temperature of the rooms had been very well regulated. _Gray_ would have felt very at home in Runnar's room.

The hair on her arms raised as goose bumps rolled over her skin.

The sharp smell of mint stung her nose and bit at her tongue as she breathed in the chill air.

She was _right_.

She'd grown up with this man. She'd never been overly fond of him, she would have never married him, but this... this... this!"

Lucy crept farther into the room. Fingers dancing over her keys, prepared for attack. Terrified. Horrified. Saddened. Char, his family... Not that she'd had an overabundance of affection for the lot of them, either, but she didn't hate them, and to find out that a monster like this - because he was a monster - was living under your roof… that would be heartbreaking.

She pitied them. This was not going to go well. For anyone. There would be no amount of money or power that would stop her and Laxus from telling the full story. All those girls would get their justice, and Runnar would be known for the monster he-

The monster he-

The monster he-

The monster-

She stopped walking.

There was a body on the bed.

There was a body on the bed, limbs stretched to form an X across its dark expanse.

Cold. So cold.

Empty. So empty.

"Runnar," she whispered. Whimpered.

But the dead don't talk.

She knew that.

She did.

…

…

…

She did.

His gray skin and cloudy eyes and blue lips were all the answer she needed in that exact moment.

She called to the man's corpse once more, unable to stop herself, before covering her mouth with one hand and putting the other on her keys. "Crux." Her voice was a shout in a room where the dead was silent.

The sleepy cross answered her, "Miss Lucy."

"Can you memorize the scene?"

It wasn't something she'd had Crux do before, but Crux was an archive spirit. If he could memorize words, she guessed he might also do this.

"Yes, Miss Lucy." He tilted slightly in the air, eyes oddly wide without bugging. Taking in the room. "Done."

"I have to go," she told him.

"Be safe." He faded away, and she shivered to watch it. To feel it. The fading of her magic and her friend back into the Spirit World.

She ran, confused. She had been so certain in who the criminal was that this turn threw her. Who was the murderer if not Runnar? Who fit the profile if not him?

She was hyperventilating. So many options. Possibilities. Complications. She couldn't be the one to find Runnar.

Her keys.

She was running.

Breathing.

Wasn't crying.

Her keys.

She clutched at them as she ran, "Virgo. Can you and Aries clean away any traces of me?"

"Yes." Virgo's voice was in her ear, though she couldn't see the spirit.

"Do that. And quickly! Please!"

She barreled down the hall. Searching for the warmth and safety of her room. Of her room with Laxus.

Sweet stars. What was she going to do about _her assigned_ room? No. No. That wasn't a problem. Virgo could probably fix much of that damage, too.

She would be okay. They would be okay.

Lucy turned a corner, hit a wall, and landed on her ass. Or would have landed on her ass, had that wall not been Laxus' chest and had he not grabbed onto her at the moment she tipped backwards.

"Lucy!"

0000

He grabbed her. Probably hurt her, but fuck, all he could see was blond hair, broken arms, and a messily copied lock. Part of him registered brown eyes shadowed with her own personal horror, but couldn't process it. Not yet. She was still alive, and currently safe. _Here. With him. Whole. Unbroken._ That was what he had to remind himself before he moved onto anything else.

"-xus. Laxus. I'm okay. I'm okay. It... no. I'm okay."

She was struggling to breathe, and _that_ was what snapped him out of it. The ragged gasp for breath around the whispered reassurance of his name.

He let her go.

"He took another girl," he informed her in a rush. "This one didn't die."

"Runnar's dead," Lucy whispered back. Like him, she seemed caught in her own discovery, but hers pulled him out of his.

"You-"

"It wasn't me!" Her hands went up and she almost stepped away in defense, but he didn't let her.

"I didn't think it was." Laxus considered what she said. Considered those brown eyes and their shadows. "You found him... so it wasn't him?"

She shook her head, "No. He was... he had to have been killed by the killer. Had to be. Mint was so strong _I_ could smell it."

"But the girl, Lucy..." he hesitated. This would hurt. This would hurt, but it was information, and she needed all of the information they could get to try and figure out who their killer actually was. "She looked like you. Not exactly. But the hair," he reached out a hand to touch hers. "She's blonde. Not quite as long, though. But more than the hair was the posing."

Her knees went weak. He caught her.

"How?"

"She was on her stomach. To show off how her back was bare. And her hands were … were a lock..."

Now her knees weren't just weak, they weren't working at all. He held her. She shook. He held her closer. The drumming he could hear of her frantic heartbeat was loud enough to replace thunder, and an appropriate match for the storm that had raged inside of him since finding Maggie.

"H...how?" she asked again, stumbling over the word this time.

Laxus wanted to make the words kind, to gentle the story for her because it was so incredibly obvious that her emotions were overloaded and she was on the verge of a breakdown. And damn if he wasn't seconds behind her on that. But this story. Fuck. This story was incapable of being gentled. He clinched his jaw and then kept talking.

"Broken, like the others, but the tourniquet wasn't tight enough to kill her right away."

"...does that mean... does that mean he leaves them alone to die all the time? He doesn't stay, like Gajeel said? Or did he mess up again?"

"We only have one example," he offered But both of them thought it. Thought the first thing. Both of them believed it. Believed the first thing. The night had been too goddamned awful to have any faith in the mistakes of evil.

She shivered in his arms and pushed back. Stood on her own. He didn't quite let go. He'd like to say it was for _her_ but that might be a lie.

She cleared her throat, "We have to wake the house."

"I've already told Gajeel and Lily, after I took the girl to the village healer. They'll have the guard here, soon enough. But if you think someone else should tell 'em first, before the guard rolls in, whatever. That's your call. But, you're going nowhere alone. So don't even suggest it, Lucy. Not now. I'm going with you. Who are we waking?"

Her balance shifted slightly, and he thought she might fall, but she didn't. She was thinking. She bit her lip and seemed to sink into her own body and solidify. Her heartbeat calmed slightly, and the tremors in her arms stilled, for the most part. After a handful of seconds she gave a decisive nod.

"Lord and Lady Holen. No one else."

"Sure it should come from you? What about the younger brother?"

"I don't know how the parents will take it. And I don't think we should involve any more people than necessary. We tell the Holens that you found the girl, took her to the village. I went to tell Runnar; I found Runnar." She touched her keys, "I'm sorry Virgo, I take it back, can you instead stand guard over his room in case someone comes back and alert me if they do?" She felt assent resonate through her connection.

"So then," Laxus said, holding her hand and pulling her forward, "I told Gajeel and Lily, came back, found you-"

"-In understandable hysterics-"

"-and we came to report it to them, before I went off once more to search for whoever did this. Good?"

"Yeah. Yeah." She reached up to take the hand that he had left on her arm, squeezed it, and let him take control for a moment.

"Gajeel and Lily will have to come to the house soon. It is better if we tell them now. I didn't know about Runnar. I just said about the injured girl. They'll still come."

"You're right. Come on. Second floor. East wing." She pulled him at a run for the room of the parents of a dead man. A man they had both thought was a murderer, but who was instead a victim.

They had been wrong. She had been wrong.

The murderer was still free.

0000

The house emptied.

Well, not really, but it felt like it. As soon as Lucy burst into the elder Holens' suite, the house was flung from one state of madness to another. Lord and Lady Holen were at first enraged at the intrusion, understandably. Then confused. Followed by insults and arguments. Then disbelieving. Followed by pushing and shoving and a trip to Runnar's room, which was still being guarded by Lucy's spirit, Virgo.

Then Lady Holen shut right the fuck down, completely blank. While Lord Holen began to howl.

Devastated.

Laxus didn't particularly like any of them, but he couldn't imagine the grief that came with losing a child.

He was grateful then that Gajeel, or rather grateful that _Pantherlily_ \- cool, calm, level-headed Pantherlily - entered the house and took over the role of whatever the hell it was he and Lucy had been doing with the two parents.

Witnessing.

Room-by-room, the house woke up to a Guard at their door and a quick interrogation followed by a brief, heavily censored explanation. The occupants of that room were then advised that it might be best to quickly pack, and leave. That the house would be a crime scene for the next few days, and not at all suited for entertaining.

So, within a few hours, it emptied.

Emptied until no one was left but Lord and Lady Holen, Char, the servants, the Council Guard, Lucy, and Laxus. And Laxus sure as shit didn't want to be there. Wanted Lucy there even less. He didn't like the way the elder Holens looked at her like she was responsible for their problems.

The four former Fairy Tail guild members stood in a small hall, for some measure of privacy, before he pulled Lucy out. He leaned against the wall and watched Lucy talk to the others, not exactly feeling the need to participate in much of their conversation. They were basically just rehashing shit, making sure it was all down. Which was fine.

When they finally began wrapping things up he flexed his shoulders and stretched a bit against the wall. More than ready to leave.

"We're sending a team of five of our own people ahead to your next destination, so you'll have a contact there," Lily told them.

"It's Levy's district, I thought," Lucy said, looking at Gajeel. "Can't you use her people?"

"Shrimp's been transferred in the shuffle, just like us, but we got in touch with the actual district commander. She gave permission for our guys. They know the case, so it's good to have 'em on site. Plus, it means she doesn't have to pull off her own people from their own jobs."

"...it's so _odd_ hearing you talk like a responsible supervisor," Lucy gave an exaggerated shudder beside him.

"Shut it."

"No," she laughed, and it was such a pleasant thing to hear, no one gave her any crap.

"You'll go to the next house," Lily, who was leaning against the wall beside her, and so closest to her, made a really careful study of her facial expressions. Noticing, Laxus looked at her again, but couldn't see anything there particularly surprising. She looked tired as all hell, but they all fucking did, so…

"Yes. I talked to Brath. They decided not to cancel the tour. Just delay it a week for mourning. We'll stay in town here long enough for the funeral to watch the Holens, then spend the rest of the extra week in the little town outside of the Wilnlo estate and vineyard."

He put one of his giant paws on top of her head. Laxus watched her lean into the weight of it.

"Be careful." Gajeel looked at him. "Both of ya."

He nodded. "You, too."

0000

_Another town_ , Lucy sighed, _another inn_.

The funeral had been … sad, she supposed. She hadn't felt much about it. All of her agony about him had come out the night after she found his body. The guilt of suspecting him was still there, though, and it made watching the funeral... uncomfortable. She stayed in the back with Laxus, and left early. Before anyone could or would ask her questions.

Probably no one would have. It was mostly family. Most everyone else had left. Gone home for the week of mourning. Gone home to decide if they were continuing on. She and Laxus had considered staying longer, there would be a sort of banquet after the funeral itself, but Lucy couldn't bring herself to stay.

Because on top of being uncomfortable and guilty and somewhat sad, she was _angry_. The extreme amount of passion, the sobbing the railing against the world, the demands made to the Council Guard by the Holens following their son's death, while generally overlooking the troubles of their servant girls... Watching it, listening to it, Lucy was angry. And the longer she did, the angrier it made her. So they decided to move on.

Emotionally unbalanced in general, she spent the next two days in bed.

Laxus transported them to the small town with the charmingly punny name of Winelow, which was the town closest to the Wilnlo house. The Wilnlos being famous the country-over for their winery.

They hadn't bothered, when they checked in to their inn, to get two rooms. Lucy couldn't be bothered to care. She took just the one, and both of them had crashed into it in exhaustion, emotional and - in her case at least - physical. She hadn't slept since she found the body. She'd barely eaten.

In Wilnlo, in the new inn, Laxus wouldn't let her go too far down the rabbit hole of depression. He made her eat, at least. They ordered food up, and he watched her until she finished what she'd ordered. They stayed inside the entire day, resting. Her sleep wasn't very deep, but it was better than it had been in Holen.

Laxus got up the next day, and Lucy stayed inside a little longer.

Day three, she forced herself to reconnect to her body and the world. There was a job to do.

"Good morning," she whispered to Laxus as he put on clothes and stretched. "What are you going to do?"

"Breakfast. Didn't want to wake you by bringing something in. But now that you're up," he rolled his shoulders.

"Yes," she yawned. "Yes. Yes. Please. I need to get out of this bed. I need to stop crying." She lifted her hands and gave him a sort of limp smile as he reached down to pull her up and out of the bed.

His hands were large and warm, "Do what you gotta do at whatever pace you gotta do it at. Don't get down on yourself for feeling bad when things are shit. That's a completely normal reaction."

He pushed her in the direction of the bathroom, and her limp smile mended, if only a little. "Thank you, Laxus."

"En. Get dressed. I'm starving."

The fact that he was putting such a natural face on for her, gruff and calm, despite the fact that there were unhealed wounds in his eyes - she could see them, his blue irises almost purple with bruising - was a great gift. She took it gladly and showered and dressed with far more energy than she had showered and _undressed_ when they had first arrived.

When she finished, they left the inn and walked out into the town, looking for breakfast. They found it in a nice cafe in the center of town, the only seemingly open at such an early hour. The rest of the town was pretty sleepy as well. Few people up and about in the sun's weak rays.

They didn't talk during breakfast. They didn't talk after. They just walked. They explored the town itself. They wandered. They listened. And Lucy, after days of hibernation, thought.

The Wilnlos were the oldest house on the circuit, but at the same time headed by the youngest couple. Lord and Lady Wilnlo had died in a carriage in Seven the year before. The new head of house was Maso, a thirty-eight year old man and Vew, his twenty-four year old bride. A woman Lucy had known quite well when she was a girl.

Known, but not been close with. Their fathers were competitors in the transpiration business, so they were not allowed contact. No play-dates as children, no shared tutors or outings as young women. Not even in groups. She didn't truly know anything about the modern makeup of the Wilnlo household.

Sending Gemini-Romeo out, they noticed that most of the household employees were male, and that there seemed to be fewer staff in general.

"You went drinking last night," Lucy said to Laxus when they finally returned to the room, "did you learn anything from the people here?"

Laxus sat in the fireside chair and stretched out his legs. "You mean about having so many men at the house? Yeah. They're all temps. Sorta like what you said when we talked about, or when _I_ talked about the killer maybe being a servant. You said this was a good time to give servants vacations. Well, that's what's happening. The female servants are on vacation."

"On vacation. Interesting…" The Wilnlos were prepared. More prepared, even, than the Holens had been with their general protection wards, because they were ridding their house of what the killer came for: Servant girls and women. Lucy tapped her lip with a finger, "Not all of them, though, right?"

"The women who have stayed all have personal wards," Gemini-Romeo told them. "People like the head cook, Vew's stylist, several of the musicians; specialists. People they can't just change out randomly. They've all got special protection wards on. Good ones, Crux says."

"Which aren't going to have an aggression exception on, like a general spacial ward. Or _any_ exception." Lucy curled her fingers into fists and sank onto the rug in front of the fire. "Maybe they'll be safe here."

"Maybe," Laxus agreed, but she could hear the hesitation there. Clear and sharp, just as hers was.

She tapped Laxus' ankle with her foot, "Can you bring me one of my books, please? I don't care which one." Lucy flopped onto her side, soaking in the fire's warmth and light. His feet disappeared from her peripheral vision as he did her the favor, and then reappeared. He dropped a book in front of her face, and returned to the seat beside her. She opened the book and tried very hard to get lost in the pages.

It was a good book. A solid, simple fantasy. No gore, no complex mystery. There was _good_ , and it grew, and it learned, and it faced a great challenge, which it overcame - that challenge was evil in nature, but that evil was not overly violent, and perhaps that evil was even capable of change, someday - and happiness awaited it on the other side. It was a book she owned and read for comfort. She'd read it many times when the world was at its harshest. But it wasn't working today.

For so many reasons, it wasn't working today. A pop from the fireplace distracted her, and she found her attention caught by the fire. She shivered.

"It's snowing, again," Laxus said, his voice startling her from her malaise. "I'm going to run down to the lobby and grab more firewood."

When the door closed behind him, with an echoing click, she wanted to cry out. She didn't want him to leave her alone. Not here. In front of that dazzling red seducer of flame, while her toes and back were chilled and she could so easily see, just to the side of the flue, frost-rimmed windows and lazily-drifting snowfall. They were northerly, and it was winter. It was cold, and there was a fire.

Hot on one side, cold on the other.

She was swamped with a feeling of grief before being hit with the pounding agony of bitterness. She was emotionally unbalanced, and she well knew it.

She missed everyone, but _they_ were the hardest on her… she'd known them the longest. Been closest to them. And then they left her without a word. Hastily scrawled letters left after breaking into her apartment didn't count.

Snow continued to fall; fire continued to burn; her heart continued to hurt. She hoped that wherever they were, they were safe. And healthy. Well, maybe just a little injured. Maybe a broken nose or a black eye.

The fire popped, and the snow made soft sounds as it hit the window and began to pile up.

The room was so quiet. So still.

"He just went down for firewood, dummy," she hissed at herself. "He's not _leaving_ you."

She knew it, but still she worried. Everything about the world was tenuous, and Laxus could be taken from her as easily as anything else could be. To believe him invulnerable when nothing else was … well, that's what she'd thought of … of … she looked at the fire and frowned. Nothing was perfect or safe forever. Especially not if you simply expect it to be and do _nothing_ to keep it that way.

She rolled from her side to her back when she heard the doorknob turn, and tilted her head to watch Laxus, seemingly gigantic considering her position on the floor, and glowing golden from the firelight, walk in, with several logs under his arm.

"You look relaxed," he commented at her splayed form.

"Looks mean very little," her vision blurred, and she saw him as being so far away, so easily lost. "I'm no more relaxed today than I was two days ago. My muscles just can't keep up the tension anymore."

"Maybe you should get in bed." He put the wood into the basket beside the hearth.

She sighed, "I'm tired of being in the bed, and the floor's alright for now."

He unbent and looked at her, and the way the shadows flickered, she thought maybe he was smiling. She was being difficult, she knew. Perhaps, for some reason, that amused him. With no rebuttal, he returned to the chair to meditate to his music.

Lucy didn't roll back around to face the fire.

0000

It had been a fucking terrible week. Not as terrible as it _would_ have been if the whole week off in Runnar's memory hadn't happened, if they'd had to go immediately from funeral to another ballroom, but still pretty damn terrible. Lucy'd been wiped. He'd felt … it was like being exiled, that extreme sense of failure and rejection, self-rejection. Self-hatred. Less personal connection, maybe, but far more mortality and lasting consequences, and he was very much involved. Very much a part of what happened.

Maggie was still alive. That was the one bright spot, and it wasn't really all that bright, since she was an absolute wreck herself. Gajeel and Lily had called in both Wendy and Chelia from Lamia Scale to see to the girl, and they'd managed, after days of delicate work while the girl was under the time-seal, to put her arms back together, piece-by-piece. But her arms weren't the worst injury she received that night.

Mentally, Maggie seemed to have simply shattered. She would respond to basic stimulus, she ate when fed, slept when tired, and - Lily passed on from Wendy - had enough presence of mind to actually use the lavatory on her own, but she wouldn't respond to language. Wouldn't look people in the eye, or even at their faces. She'd become, understandably, more nervous around men, though Lily didn't see any specific trend to a type of man that scared her. Just _men_.

Which was fair, if not very helpful.

Laxus hurt for her, that girl he'd held so briefly and thought of so little, thinking of her only in terms of how she might as well be Lucy. That wore on him, a weight he struggled with, which made him feel like complete shit because as soon as he talked to Lily or Gajeel about Maggie, his first thought was always fear for Lucy and not concern for Maggie.

He was a fucking terrible person.

That poor girl, though.

They still had another week before the next event, and hopefully they'd both be back on their feet by then. Or at least better than now. He was barely sleeping. Like now. Been in bed three hours, and no sign of sleep to come. Lucy'd dropped off for a bit, but she'd shudder awake with hands grasping at her hips. Miming for her keys, trying to fight off nightmares, but not having her friends there to help her. She'd done that twice already, and had yet to fall asleep again. He hadn't said anything, so he didn't think she knew he was awa-

"I'm emotionally compromised," she whispered to him, her voice muffled by her pillow.

He sucked in a breath in surprise at her unexpected words. "What?"

"Sad, because of Aquarius and the guild and the girls, and, and, and Runnar. Worried and scared because of the killer. Generally uncomfortable in the houses. All following months of loneliness. Which makes the rest of it hard."

The rest of what hard? There was a slight sheen of sweat on her skin from whatever nightmare had ruined her sleep. He wanted to… He took a breath. Another breath. She smelled nothing like herself, and the turmoil in her voice was making it worse.

"With everything in knots, how can I be sure?" Her hands were clutching at the comforter around her chest, and her eyes stared at the ceiling as if it held the answers to the universe.

"Of _what_?" he asked, still completely confused.

"If I love you."

Sound roared through the room. Heat rushed over his skin. If he wasn't trapped between her and the wall, he would have fallen out of the bed.

She was still talking.

"I say it in my head, and it feels true. But so much is jumbled up in my head. Too much emotion. It might be reactionary. Clinging to you because you're all I have left. But when I try to tell myself that..." her voice trailed off.

He barely noticed the silence. His thoughts clung to the sound of her voice speaking that one word: love. He was distracted by the sound. By the fullness and texture of it. She rolled over him and pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth.

Not a true kiss, and she didn't linger long enough to give him time to respond before pulling away and laying back against her pillow.

"It hurts," she continued to be the only one who spoke because he continued to be dumbfounded. "Nothing imaginary can hurt like that, can it? And yet... I know I'm not coming at it from a stable mindset. _Like_ is easy. Of course. Attraction? How could I not feel that? At the risk of inflating your already overlarge ego... well," she chuckled. The sound was weak and forced. "But this … this feels like love, and that scares me, Laxus."

He swallowed, wanting nothing more than to push her back against the pillows of their bed and kiss her properly. In the last month, he'd had thoughts much like hers, but... but…

He cleared his very, very dry throat. And considered.

"Like and attraction _are_ easy. And now _is_ complicated," he agreed. "So if you don't feel comfortable carving it in stone, don't. It doesn't mean you have to abandon the feeling, Lucy. You know where I am; I know where you are. When this ends, if that doesn't, then we'll know."

He caught the sweet sound of a shuddering breath, " _We'll_."

"Yeah. We'll." He couldn't look at her. "It's not something I'm good at, but even I know... even I've noticed..."

Thing was, it might change for her. For _her_ it might just be that he was all she had at the moment. She was so used to having and needing people.

He wasn't that kind of person.

He didn't need people. He'd been with his three only real friends since the guild ended, while she'd been alone. Been away from his team this whole time, this whole month, and not really missed them, awful as that probably was. He didn't _need_ people.

But he'd been steadily coming to the conclusion that he might need her. Separating from her, just the idea of it, felt like amputation. Organ removal. Losing the most vital thing that kept him on his feet and living. So, yeah. It might change for _her_ , when she had other options, but not so much for him.

He wouldn't pressure her. She deserved the chance to find out for herself. And to be certain. He wanted her certain. Certain that it wasn't just an emotional reaction to the guild breakup and a serial killer.

Laxus could turn her over. Kiss her breathless. She'd spent weeks in his bed and was no stranger to sex. It wouldn't take much coaxing to free her of her clothes. To share with her all the feelings that had built up inside of him. She'd slept with barely-known people out of convenience and necessity.

She thought she loved him.

He knew he loved her.

But it didn't matter that they were neither of them strangers to sex. That didn't mean it couldn't be cherished. That he didn't value the opportunity to savor the time before. He could have tempted her into it that first week through simple physical attraction, like she said. She was comfortable in her sexuality.

But.

She thought she _loved_ him. He wanted her to be sure. He wanted her to come to him and to be sure.

Finish this, and then give her time to think. And he thought he might enjoy the possibilities that would come from a long-distance relationship. Make _her_ come to _him_. Make her see that she wanted him. He'd never been much for slow seduction before, but a month with her let him see the possibilities. The benefits.

"Will you charge me a fee if I come to be _entertained_ at your new guild?" she asked as his thoughts wandered onto those benefits.

He choked.

She laughed.

It opened something up inside of him that had been knotted and hard. The sound of it cleared his blood. Sweetened the flavor of the air.

"Freed will be devastated, of course. But then, I'm a very modern and understanding young woman. It's not always true that a new love must break up an old love, and anyway, I'm not necessarily against the idea of Freed in a thr-"

He kissed her. To shut her up. To shut that wicked, deviously annoying mouth of hers, he pulled her to him and kissed her. Not that it really worked, since she giggled through it. Knowing his intent. He pulled back and glared.

"Now listen here, cut all this 'modern woman' bullshit. I don't share." He grinned and kissed her one last time. _Possibilities_. "Freed," he told her, "is mine."

She slipped off of the mattress and almost hit the floor - would have, had he not caught her - as she lost herself in laughter. In happier times, she would probably do that a lot. They'd have to consider switching bed-sides. That or getting pillow-covered flooring.

"Oh god, that was glorious. Well done. You win. Though, it's not like you'd have to stake your claim or anything. Given an option, you or me, he wouldn't touch me with a ten foot pole."

"Damn straight on the first, and ha! Bullshit on the second."

"Come again?"

"You're bookish, hot, nice, and your magic isn't predicated on punching people. Freed is interested in all of those things."

"Really?" there was an odd, hopeful quality to her voice that he didn't exactly approve of.

"Yeah. Not that I think you should-"

"So what I'm hearing you say is that this threesome idea of mine is totally possible."

He blinked at her a few times before collapsing back onto his side of the bed. "You're a scarier person than anyone gives you credit for, you know that?"

"Mmm," she agreed, rolling into his side, and slipping an arm around his midsection.

"Night, Lucy."

"Goodnight, Laxus." With her words, her voice, she blessed him with the calm he needed to sleep.

0000X0000


	12. Falling For and Falling Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there are holidays and friends and cliffhangers.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Twelve

Falling For and Falling Apart

It was different, this morning. Different than every other morning. Different even than those mornings when he woke up sprawled on top of her. Which was pleasant, as far as that goes. But waking up with her curled up on his chest was worlds and away better than any other morning. Any other morning with her. Any other morning ever. Maybe. Possibly. Yeah.

She was soft and warm and comfortable and safe. She was, as she had said of him a week before, _home_ in some fashion. This whole time they'd slept together - non-sexually - for comfort, but this was the first time where the comfort really sunk in. Really went bellow the skin. Into his muscles. Into his bones.

It was winter, so the light of the early morning was gray and dull. Barely enough to see by. Even though it was after eight in the morning (nine, really) she was still covered in shadows. But, to him, she glowed.

She shifted in a way that might have ended in her rolling off of him, so he shifted as well to keep her where she was.

On him. With him. Against him.

No pressure. No pressure. No pressure, he had said. Or thought. And meant it. He'd been slightly afraid he'd feel stressed by the idea of waiting. But, strangely enough, he didn't. He felt weightless. He felt free. He felt _happy_ in a way he'd never quite experienced happiness before. Not that he could remember.

Before she told him, before she said anything, he'd been more scared. More worried. More uncertain and troubled. But now that he knew what she felt (thought she felt), there was a confidence in him. As long as he could keep her _physically_ safe, things would work out. There was no question in him of that, not like he'd had the night before. When he'd been a little cautious. There was no question in him, now. And it wasn't ego talking, it was deeper than ego. A rooted knowledge of what she was, who she was, and what it meant when she said things.

Sure, she was lost and she was lonely.

Sure, she was scared and she was uncertain.

But she'd been those things before. Having time to think about it, he realized; he remembered her past. She'd been those things before. She would be able to recognize that. She hadn't declared non-platonic love for Natsu (or anyone else) when lost and lonely, just friendship. Known him for a long time, and never been anything more than friends. Granted, the serial killer thing bumped up the emotions, but life had been stressful before this. And granted, losing Fairy Tail had been hard, but losing her father had been, too. And her mother. She knew, he _knew_ she knew, what it was like to _struggle_. To struggle and to suffer and to fight on. And she had done so, day after day. For months. On her own, in the capitol city. Watching after them. Waiting for them. Holding them in her heart.

She could have come for any one of them, had she loved any one of the people she knew better, and she knew all of them better than she knew him. Like he'd said at the very start, they hadn't had much in the way of contact. She'd barely joined before he'd been exiled, and they'd rarely crossed paths between jobs. He hadn't been one for pleasantries. Even greetings.

She'd always at least _try_. Because of course she would.

So this month together. This was the first time, the first time ever that they'd had to get to know one another. And sure it was an emotional fucking roller coaster. Terrifying, heart wrenching, maddening, rage inducing. Enlightening. He saw her as she was, without walls. Couldn't have walls, not living as they did all these weeks. You watch a person fall apart, and you understand them. She'd seen him do the same.

You make a person laugh, and you understand them.

She understood him. Not perfectly. He was changing, growing. _He_ didn't understand him perfectly. But she understood him as much as anyone did, and she understood the core of him.

She was changing, too. There was a softness, a soft sadness, that sidestepped her usual personality. Like she'd tucked away some of her energy for safe keeping. As he'd noted so many times already, her smiles weren't those large shining things they once were. They were smaller, and she looked away.

Caution tempered her joy. Another emotional response he understood. Life experiences had made him careful in showing his feelings, so he could understand how she was responding to how things happened. But at the same time, it also meant he understood how fast it could tear you down and make you lock yourself away. He didn't want that for her. Not for her. He didn't want her to lose the happiness she was at her core.

Since he _knew_ , understood, _lived it_ , he might be able to help with that. He hoped. If she'd let him.

She wiggled a bit and squeaked, and he assumed that meant she was waking up. It was hard to say how long her waking would take, since it seemed to come in spurts on her own. Unlike all of the other mornings when she woke first… for very understandable reasons.

About thirty minutes later her eyelids lifted, heavy and lazy. Irises distant and unfocused. As was her smile when she finally realized where she was.

"Good morning, Lucy."

"Mmm, 'orning, 'axus…" she yawned and sort of buried her face back into his chest, fighting the waking up process just a little longer.

"Come on, Lucy," he poked her cheek. "Gotta get up. Shit to do."

"Ugh, okay. Okay." She rolled off of him, literally rolled. And then fell to the floor in a sort of crouch.

He looked over the edge, grinning. "You doing okay down there?"

"Sure."

She blinked a few times and then crawled to the bathroom, and he laughed. The door slammed shut, maybe a little harder than necessary. How could he not laugh, though? She was adorable, and she wasn't always, not in the morning. Surely she could forgive his seeing humor in her being cute as all hell after such an emotional shit show of a week.

He grinned when he heard her grumbling and splashing behind the closed door. Grumbling about over-large dragon slayers, too big for their britches, who thought they were sooo funny…

Yeah, she'd forgive him. She was just sometimes grouchy in the morning.

At least she hadn't kicked him, yet. A month as her partner, and no solid kicks. He wondered if he'd made a record.

Eventually she finished and allowed him in the bathroom, and they were able to get on with their day. He found himself wishing that he hadn't done what he did. Hadn't pushed himself to wake her. Hadn't pushed her to get going so quickly.

To continue on into hell as opposed to staying in that little moment of peace they had made for themselves.

"We go to Maso and Vew and offer ourselves," Lucy said as soon as she dressed. Slipping her whip onto her belt, next to her keys. "Let them know why we're staying. Give them help, since they're taking precautions."

"Keep the princess out of it?"

"Yeah. Just us. Just us reacting to what happened in Holen, and doing what I said we'd do when I talked to the group at the dinner: Do something about it."

He nodded in complete agreement so far, "It'll give us a better run of the house and grounds."

"Had that thought, too. We focus on the girls here, in this house, I think, more than the men. Or you do. You focus more on the girls. Protection. Detection. I can handle the other. Watch the men, I mean."

"No." He felt his insides shut down. Tunnel vision set in. Blood rushing in his ears.

Oh god. Maggie all over again.

"Yes," she insisted. "We saw at Holen how he broke two directions: Maggie and Runnar. Runnar was an anomaly. We don't know why that happened, but it did happen. We have to assume he can and will do it again, so we have to split our focus, too. The girls are still in danger, wards or no wards. You're their best bet. Get them out of the house as soon as their duties are finished … and assume if the servant girls are gone, he will move on to whatever else is available to him.

" _I_ will watch the men and how they move-"

Laxus clinched his teeth, " _He_ was watching _you_. Maggie was a warning, Lucy."

Her hands were curled tight, "You think I'm unaware of that?"

"I think you're ignoring how much danger it puts you in."

She lifted her chin, "I'm not. I am not. But that won't stop me from doing what needs to be done. And this is that. We're partners in this, Laxus. Last night … I don't want it to … Just because … you can't lock me up, Laxus."

"I don't want to lock you up," _probably_. "I want you not to be reckless. Not to just throw away your life. Runnar an anomaly? No shit. Four years in, one guy the same night he takes a second girl and fucks her up so she looks like you? Kills Runnar after he spends hours practically dry humping you in public and then trashing your bedroom? That's no accident, Lucy. That means the killer was watching you, watching you and watching what Runnar did, and taking offense to it. And killing him because of it."

"He-"

"No!" Laxus held up a hand, pointing at her, and put it back down quickly. Put it back down because he noticed it was shaking. Trembling. And he didn't want her to see that. Didn't want her to know that. "You're the one who said the mistakes this year might be about us. Take it back one. They're about _you_. I'm not shit in this place except your guard. Might not like me anymore than Runnar, but I'm no powerless rich asshole. I'd be a challenge. Besides the fact that we've both gone out of our way to pass around that we're no more than friends. And barely that. But the idea that this guy, whoever the fuck he is, is losing it over _you_ … can you blame me? You tell me you want to put yourself more alone with the men we suspect; can you blame me? Even without last night. Even without this whole month with you, I wouldn't like it."

Her lack of immediate comeback calmed him, slightly. That she was thinking about what he said, calmed him. Holy _shit_ he didn't want her t-

"It still needs to be done. Both things. And the only way we can handle doing both is by splitting up."

"Gajeel and Lily sent the guard-"

"None of them have a fraction of your power. They're not even captains, and you heard the level captains ranked at during the Grand Magic Games, when they did the MPF. Lahar straight out said that Milliana at barley over 300, ranked at level enough to make captain. Orga, who lost to Jura - one shot, you were right there next to him, you saw it - pulled over 3000. Jura? Over 8000, and you beat him, Laxus. And you want me to leave those girls to five grunts?"

Well, when she put numbers to it, it sounded absolutely crazy. And selfish. And overprotective. And maybe like he was patronizing her more than a bit. But, he didn't mean it to be any of those things.

"Making yourself bait is _insane_ , Lucy. At this point? After Maggie, especially. It's insane. We know fuck-all about this guy. You won't be able to go in prepared. For all we know, the magic he's got that cleans up his scenes, nullifies other magic. Meaning it'd just be you versus him, and you're not exactly built to go against someone who's been doing this. This guy's gotta have strength. Solid, physical strength. Just like you said, we're _partners_. We take him together."

"The who watches the women in the house?"

"We do that, too. You've got Loke out. You send out Gemini. Is there another that can blend in? And I'll exercise like I do, and wander. Send out however many your body can handle. Lucy, if you want, you can have eyes all over the house. We have a few more days; I'll jump to Freed. He's got some runes that are as good as living link magic. You can pull from my power if you start getting low. You won't get sick like you did in Holen. I've barely used anything this whole job. It means no matter where you and I are, if you can spread your spirits out, too, we can, together, all of us, guard everyone. It's not just me and you."

She blinked up at him. Smiled. That brilliant, beautiful smile he'd been afraid she'd lost. "Very few people talk about them like that."

"What?"

"Like they're separate from me. Like they're their own people. They talk about Loke that way, sometimes, because of how long he was in Fairy Tail, but … _it's not just me and you_." She grinned. She was shining; brilliance. "You're right. If I can rely on your power for help, and we have the Wilnlo permission to patrol the house, then we can all range around. It's not just me and you."

Pain shot through his temples, so extreme was his relief.

They agreed to wait to approach the Wilnlos. It was some sort of regional feast day, according to the people who ran the inn. Nothing fancy, just a celebration that was important in the town and surrounding areas, which the family also participated in. They probably wouldn't take kindly to having it interrupted.

So instead they cruised through the open town festival. After so much fucking awfulness, it was a really nice day. A really nice day.

By noon the gray light of morning had cleared to a whiter light, where the sky was clear, if washed of color. By two, it was bright and clean, the gray clouds completely faded away. It made the air very crisp, and the sights cheerful, considering the season and the recent weather they'd seen in the other houses and towns. And, though it was cold, it was not so cold that being outside was unbearable. Nor was the snow, which had fallen the previous night, so thick on the ground that walking was troublesome.

All-in-all, damn good climate for an outdoor party.

It was, Laxus thought, like Midwinter but much calmer. People wandered around town, chatting and eating too much at various food stalls. There were games for the children. Drinking alcoves for the adults. Small spaces set aside for contests; ice carving was one, but it was delicate stuff with tiny blocks of ice, not giant structures he'd seen in other festivals.

And in the center of the town there was a space set aside for dancing.

Lucy didn't give him the option of saying no. Looking at the other pairs and groups twirling around on the make-shift dance floor, there were no set rules here. You could dance how you wanted to dance. Not that he was surprised. Magnolia had festivals much like this one throughout the year, festivals calmer and less flashy than Fantasia, and he had grown up going to them. He'd seen dances like these dozens of times, but he'd never participated. Not his thing.

Now, however, he knew the rules. Or he knew certain rules. Those he knew? Was pretty damn good at them, however much Lucy enjoyed fucking with him about his skill. Calling him mediocre when he damn well knew he wasn't. Was only because she was so fucking amazing at it. Was only because she was joy on two feet when she danced.

Even knowing the rules and being good at it, now, dancing still wasn't his thing. But it was hers. So when she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the raised dance-floor with the upbeat, if simple, music, he didn't fight her. The expression of pure pleasure on her face was too captivating.

There it was. There was that open, bright happiness he wanted to make sure she regained. And if all she needed was _dancing_ … well, fuck. He could manage that.

Not being in the ballroom, and not being hampered by those long, heavy skirts, she danced more like she had in the rainy forest clearing outside of Holen. Her feet frequently lifted away from the ground when she turned. There was a sharp fluidity to her steps when she turned away and a longing to her touches when she reached out to him.

Laxus was aware that there was nothing he could do to match her in this, so he settled for doing what he could to keep up and helping to keep her going. If this movement was her joy, and it was blatantly obvious that it was, he would keep her from falling. From stopping. From losing her momentum, and pleasure. And if she got too far away from him, he lifted her and pulled her back. Closer. There was plenty of joy that could be had nearer to him.

People watched them, watched _her_. Dancers, other dancers gave her room on the stage. She would laugh, and spin; she would giggle and skip, and space would open up around her so that she would have the freedom to move as she wished. Early on, Laxus realized they'd, _she'd_ become something of a show for the festival itself, but following that original thought, couldn't really bring himself to call halt to the dancing.

Let them watch her. Let them see her. Nothing wrong with showing off. Wasn't like they were hiding who they were. Let them watch her. Let them see her.

Lots of people in Fiore, he knew, cared deeply for Lucy Heartfilia. That in itself was a sort of power. Mira, for example, was a powerhouse, but honestly, he'd rather take her head-on any day of the week than face the combined wrath of her fanbase. They were crazy. They were creepy. And they were alarmingly devoted. He wouldn't want that for Lucy, not that exactly, but the more people who cared for her, the safer she would be.

The more people who cared for her, the more dangerous it was to reach out and touch her in violence. He hoped their enemy would figure that shit out. Maggie was a warning, yeah. Would the killer have bothered with a warning had Lucy been out in the open? Would he have gone to her directly if she hadn't been in _his_ bed? Or was the knowledge of _his_ care enough to protect her? Would-

"You're scowling, Laxus," she whispered, lifting his hand so that her lips brushed the pulse-point on the inside of his wrist before spinning away and around him. Placing a firm hand on the small of his back, grabbing his right hand, and turning him back around to face her on a fierce climax of sound. When had the music become so serious? "Don't. Don't frown. Relax."

He nodded, bending down to kiss the crown of her head, briefly.

No pressure. No pressure.

For the remainder of that song, he held her tight against him, ignoring all the traditional rules of dance that she'd taught him, and her general impulse for movement. For less than a handful of minutes, he held her and did as ordered. He relaxed.

Then the music changed, and he moved back. Allowing air between them. Allowing her limbs the freedom to move. She grinned and tapped his nose with her finger. She understood. She understood what he had needed, and she understood that he was okay.

And she danced. Holding his hands, occasionally inside the tight circle of his arms, she danced.

They spent an hour that way, maybe even two.

It was hard to measure something so mundane as time in the bubble of space she created for them. Watching her dance, helping her dance, narrowed his focus to her and nothing but her. And she was kind enough to allow him to participate.

She grinned. Lifted a hand to brush the backs of her fingers across his cheekbone, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his chin, before slipping once more from his grasp.

She laughed as she escaped the dance floor, and he chased her.

Her golden hair was tied up high, the tail of it whipping around, snapping as she turned a corner. Her red skirt and brown boots, a sharp contrast to the blues and blacks and greens most people, including himself, wore in the town. The red gloves covering hands fisted and flying in the air as she ran and laughed and knew, surely knew, that she couldn't beat him.

She was color and light and music.

She was magic.

He stopped running. Remembering the resolution he'd made the night before. It took her a block before she realized he'd stopped chasing her. She turned and looked at him and laughed even louder. "Well played. Which of us will break, then, I wonder?"

"I wonder," he smirked. "How about you be that kind, generous person you're so famed for being and get your ass over here."

She cocked her head to the side. The sun was setting behind her. It was harder to make out her expression as her body was silhouetted and she was shadowed. Her teeth flashed white. "The world's a changed place, Laxus Dreyar. And here? What I'm famous for is running away from men who try to tell me what to do. So," she wiggled her fingers in a sarcastic wave, "I'll be in the room."

And she bounced away, chuckling and humming the music from their dance.

…that little brat!

But then he laughed, and followed her. Because of course he did. How could he not?

0000

They woke up to not the best news. The Wilnlos would be unavailable for another day. Or at least, they weren't accepting Lucy's appointment request. Which could mean anything. Of course, it wasn't the _worst_ news, either.

 _It just means we've got time to get a few things done while I send a second message with a bit more information_ , she had told him. And he had scowled as she said he should go talk to Freed about getting the power-link rune set up, while she would deal with resupplying them with a few things they were running out of, like toiletries.

Like hell she would. He was quick to shut that idea down.

He hadn't wanted to leave Lucy alone when he jumped back to Blue Pegasus, so he'd basically forced a promise out of her to stay in the room (she was rolling her eyes and drawling through the entirety of her oath, but she did promise, so he knew she would) and to _not_ go out alone. Since she promised, he went.

He went, feeling mildly disgusted with himself at how quickly the loss of her hit him, despite the fact that he was only planning on being gone a few hours. They'd been together, constantly together, too long. Knowing how much space there was between them now, there was an emptiness expressed through loneliness deeper than he'd felt while exiled, and it was absolutely embarrassing.

Not that he didn't accept that he felt what he felt or anything, but seriously. He'd have to keep his attachment-based worries clamped down a bit, because he was pretty sure she'd be pissed off about them. He knew he would have been just as worried a week before, based on how freaked out he'd been over Maggie, but at the same time, he knew he wouldn't have been the same kind of worried about Evergreen or Mirajane or Bisca. And Lucy'd consider that patronizing as fuck.

At which point, she'd likely kick the shit out of him. Ruining his one-month-and-counting-long record of not getting the shit kicked out of him.

Problems for another day, though. He had other things to focus on.

Walking into the Blue Pegasus guild wasn't … comfortable. He was grateful for the place to go. And he liked Master Bob just fine. And Ichiya was an impressive mage, despite his oddities.

But he'd been practically born into Fairy Tail, stamp already permanent on his skin. His dad, his gramps, his great gramps... Even with the exile, when his shitty pops called for him to join Raven Tail, even if he hadn't _hated_ the old bastard, his first thought had been that Dreyars belonged in Fairy Tail. That to be _anywhere else_ was wrong. Dreyars and Fairy Tail, they were connected. It's why he wanted, thought he was _meant to be_ Master. But if he couldn't be in Fairy Tail? He wouldn't be a guild mage. That's what he thought.

That's what he thought, before Tartarus.

But … it was a Dreyar who _ended_ the guild. And arguably the best of them; the best of their blood. Gramps was a good man. Laxus knew that despite any argument or disagreement they'd ever had, at any point in their relationship, Laxus _always_ knew that his grandfather was a good man.

It made no sense.

Still sick, heart-sore, and confused when they learned of what their Master, his gramps, had done, he, Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen had accepted Master Bob and Ichiya's offer of sanctuary. But though it was sanctuary, and the guild was good to them, and there was nothing at all wrong with the guild… it wasn't quite home.

It wasn't Fairy Tail.

"Welcome back, Laxus," Master Bob greeted him from behind the bar.

"Thank you," he nodded, but before he could say anything more, he was attacked.

" _Laxus_!"

He was mobbed by three very happy, very loudly sobbing people.

There was no surprise expressed about this by any of the other people in the guild, thank goodness, because Blue Pegasus was almost as odd as Fairy Tail when it came to personalities. That, at least, was a familiar element to the place.

"You've been away for a month! Without even calling!" Freed sniffled, wiping a few tears from his eyes. "A month! No calls! Why haven't you called?!" Laxus had to swallow several times to keep down the laughter that threatened to break out at his sudden - and almost overwhelming - mental image of Lucy teasing him.

Thank _goodness_ he'd come without her. Of course she'd be safe on her own! Probably perfectly fine out shopping with Loke and the others beside her. This was what he should have been worried about.

"No kidding, man. Was a long damn time to just disappear like that." Bixlow slapped his shoulder as his souls swarmed around him giddily chanting _no kidding_. "How was the job?"

"Not finished," he was blunt. He knew better than to go easy on them. Might as well rip the bandage right off the bat and let them know he wasn't actually back.

"Not finished!" Evergreen pushed him into a booth and sat next to him. "What in the world are you doing that you can't finish it in a month?"

"Can't say. Not supposed to talk about it with too many people, per the client's orders. But I need a favor," he nodded to the rune mage.

Whose eyes burned with fierce purpose as he tilted his head in a slight bow, "Anything. Anything you need, Laxus-sama. It is our great pleasure to help you in any way."

Good god, Lucy had poisoned him. He could hear her mocking him in his head almost like she was hovering over his shoulder. Her voice bouncing around him in triplicate as if she was Bixlow's tikis.

Laxus grunted. "I need a rune that can replicate the living-link magic, so I can pass some of my magic energy on to another mage. The other mage has the ability to work the spell, but I've got more power, so to keep the thing going, or rather to keep my partner going, we think a link to my power would help and this method would fit. There are probably other ways to do this, but I trust you more than anyone else."

Okay, he was laying it on a little thick so that Freed wouldn't ask too many questions, but fuck. It would work. Manipulative as hell, and underhanded, and by the sly look on Ever's face a little obvious since she caught on to what he was doing, but he needed what he needed, and he needed it fast.

Laxus pushed on. "I know you'll do it so that this will be safe for both of us"

"What sort of spell?" Freed asked.

"I can't say. And I wouldn't actually be casting it. Just giving power. My partner would have that power as backup if needed." He _really_ didn't want them to know about Lucy. She hadn't specifically told him to keep her name out of it, but he couldn't take teasing from all sides. He already got enough of it from her. If Bixlow and Evergreen found out… no. No. Absolutely not. _After_ the job was done. Then he would have the energy to spare for their torture.

"What is the other mage's magic?"

"Is that necessary to know for the rune?" he asked. Wasn't something he'd wondered about. He'd only ever offered power to the three of his teammates, and they were all known to one another.

Saying her magic would give her away in an instant. There were probably only a handful of celestial spirit mages left in all of Earthland, and all of two who knew him, at all. And only one who would even bother to call for help. The Saber girl had her own lightning mage in Orga, why would she need to call him? (Ignoring the fact that he was in all ways superior to Orga, of course.) His team was in no way stupid enough to not figure out who she was. Hell, _Natsu_ wasn't stupid enough to miss that.

Freed gave a sort of elegant shrug that would be acceptable in the houses he'd been visiting. Laxus scowled. "Some magics work together better than other magics. You're a lightning mage. Your magic won't feed well into a water mage, for example. On one level it is just power, so it shouldn't matter how you express that power, but - especially for a dragon slayer - we spend most of our lives visualizing and using that power in one set form. As a dragon slayer, you embody that form even more, consume it even, it's elemental for you. You're good as a mage, with expert control, and you can likely pass clean power through, but it will still be flavored by the lightning. So if your fellow mage isn't prepared or compatible with that magic-"

"She can handle it," Laxus said, repressing a grateful sigh. He didn't have to out himself... her. He wasn't going to have to out her. "Compatibility's sort of what she does."

There was a moment of silence. Then Bixlow's tongue rolled out, and he began to chuckle. Evergreen's eyes and mouth narrowed in a very evil sort of smile, and she snapped open her fan. Freed's eyes widened.

" _She. She. She._ " The tiki dolls repeated his mistake back at him, echoing it through his ears and deep inside his head where Lucy's teasing voice also lived.

_Fuck._

"Yeah, she." Laxus sighed.

"She hot?" Bixlow's grin was annoying. And Laxus _still couldn't get the word_ erotic _out of his head_!

He considered lying, but there was only one answer to that question that he was at all capable of giving: "Yeah."

"Is she the reason this has taken you a month?" Evergreen's smile stretched and thinned.

"No." His mouth was hard, and he was glaring, but it wasn't doing him any good with his three oldest friends.

"Is she causing you problems?" Freed's hands were twitching.

Whose laughter was that he could hear? Oh? Wait. Yeah. Lucy's. Lucy's laughter. Fucking hell. She would have a blast with this if he ever told her. Which he absolutely would fucking not.

"No more than you three." Gasps all around. His mask cracked and he laughed. "Nah. She's good. Pulls her own weight, and then some; knows her shit. She's the expert on the job, I'm just the muscle." He lifted a fist, "And a battery, if you'll get that rune set up."

"Oh, o-of course!"

While Freed worked, the other two continued to interrogate him. Evergreen leaned forward. "If you won't tell us the job or who the mage is, you have to give us _something_. General area of where you've been?"

"All over. We're on the move. Another part of why I'm useful."

Bixlow leaned back, "So. Hot. Hot like how? What's she look like?"

Laxus looked at the masked man. How to describe Lucy, who they all knew, without letting them know it was Lucy? "She's about Ever's height, natural height I mean. In heels or barefeet, or what the fuck ever. Eh, maybe a little shorter. Hair's blond, bit paler than mine, long, almost down to her waist, and she usually ties it up. Probably longer if she didn't." The hair was the biggest, only real difference… "The usual, great rack," he smirked at Bixlow, "but really, to us, we grew up surrounded with all that. She's hot, though, no question."

"Just the two of you on the job?" Ever asked.

"We consulted with two others last week, ended up in a same place/same time situation, but other than that, just us."

"Allll alone," Bixlow leered.

"In public, mostly," Laxus drawled. "We're on the job, alone, but the job isn't being done in a cave under the sea or anything."

"Well-"

"Laxus!" Master Bob shouted across the guild. "Current client's on the com-lacrima."

_Current client? The_ PRINCESS _was calling the…_

"Got it!" He ran back into the Master's office behind the bar and took one look at Hisui's face and almost freaked out. What the hell?! "What's wrong? What happened? Is she okay? Is-"

And then came the laughter.

"…the fuck, Lucy."

"Hahahaha!" Lucy laughed as she pulled _Hisui_ to the side as she popped in a puff of smoke to turn into the two spirits that made up Gemini. "I'm getting you back for making me stay here. Are you done yet? The W… the family is having a thing that _isn't_ the thing we usually go to but is a thing we _could_ go to, that we're allowed to go to because of my second message, and I think we should go to… based on what we _did_ go to yesterday… wow, this is annoying."

"You should hear it from this side," he muttered.

"Heard that." She was almost singing her amusement at him.

"Fan-tastic."

"Having a good time?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. She grinned. She knew. About the teasing and his wariness and his horror at her joining in, about Freed... Somehow, she knew. How did she know?

"Maybe," he was cautious.

"Freed almost done?

He shrugged, "I'd say within the hour."

"Good. I need you back."

He burned. Every inch of him. Outside and in. Lightning sizzled over his arms and popped on his fingertips.

"Might want to get control of yourself before you make a mess in the Master's office, Laxus. The _thing_ at the _place_ happens in two and a half hours. I need to talk to… someone. So if you're not back…"

He snorted, "You still won't go. You promised. You'll stay in the room, like you promised. But don't worry, I'll be back. If he doesn't finish, I'll just come back for it tomorrow. We've got time for that, yeah?"

Lucy nodded, "Especially if we can do tomorrow's job, tonight."

Tomorrow's job. Offering themselves to the Wilnlos.

"Even more important, then. I'll be there in an hour and a half, max."

"Got it." Her grinned softened. "I'm guessing you didn't tell them it was me?"

"No."

"Yeah. Probably better that way. Especially given that you're at your guild and all."

He flinched at the phrase. Then felt guilty for flinching.

She noticed, because of course she did.

"Don't. It's okay." She smiled again. "Command Freed to hurry his pretty ass up, and then come back, Laxus."

He considered several different replies, but settled for a nod and a simple,"Yeah."

The lacrima went dark, and that feeling of loss swept over him again. His feet, when he left Master Bob's office, were heavy. And heavier still when he made his way back to the table where Bixlow, Freed, and Evergreen were waiting with curious expressions. He fucking hated secrets.

"My partner asks that you, and I quote, _hurry your pretty ass up_ , Freed," Laxus told his friend, knowing that one day, eventually, his team would learn that it was Lucy who said it. And it would come back to get her. One day… he would get his own back. Sure, she generally was able to tease him much more than he could her, but in this case, he'd have something over her. "Our appointment's been moved up. I've got an hour and a half. If you can't make it in that time, I can come back tomorrow."

Freed's skin went an alarmingly odd shade of red that looked really bad against the green of his hair. Bixlow nearly fell out of his chair laughing. Evergreen had her fan open to cover her mouth… also likely laughing, but trying to spare Freed a bit of embarrassment.

"This partner of yours sounds fun," Bixlow overcame his laughter to lean forward, while giggling chants of fun swirled around him. "You having a good time at least?"

...a direct echo of Lucy's question. He didn't quite give the words the inflection Laxus figured he wanted to, at least. He really should keep the two away from each other as much as he could.

Laxus crossed his arms. "Not having a good time or a _good time_. The job is completely fucked. She's fine, don't get me wrong, but it's hard to have fun with what we're doing."

"You okay?" Evergreen frowned and put her hand close enough to his arm so that her fingers brushed his elbow. "Maybe we can't help with the job directly, but if we can help with you or this girl, you know you can come to us…"

And he smirked, "Yeah. Yeah, I know that. I-"

He smelled celestial magic. He stood up fast enough to throw back the booth bench he was sharing with Evergreen and shift the table.

Loke was at the door.

Every muscle in his body went hard, ridged. His heart nearly turned to stone, preparing for what the fear on the spirit's face might tell him.

"She didn't leave, she didn't break her word, but the inn reeks of mint. Plue can smell it all over town. She sent him out. He's there, Laxus. She needs you back, so she can be released of her promise to stay. So she can hunt him. So you can hunt him."

"Cosplayer?"

"Lucy…"

"Laxus-sama, does Loke mean-"

"Tell her I'm coming, but _not to leave until I get there_!" He turned on his team, "I'll be back for the rune tomorrow." Usually he was considerate enough to transform into lightning and teleport outside of populated areas, especially outside of buildings. But not today. Not in that moment. He called his power to him right there at the table, and shot into the sky. Racing, racing to a woman he trapped with a promise - whose who life was built around promises - in a building that he had thought safe! Not so much anymore, was it?!

Shit!

0000X0000


	13. The Stars and Their Ways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which mint is inhaled, friends are teased, and emotional anguish is endured.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter 13

The Stars and Their Ways

She coughed. It was unbelievable how strong the smell of mint was in the hotel. She was almost worried for Laxus, when he arrived. It wasn't outside of the realm of possibility that it would knock him out! _Overpowering_ was no hyperbole.

She was dizzy.

She was frantic.

Playing with her keys, she kept Plue's in her fist, carefully monitoring his progress around the town through their connection. He knew to vanish the second there was any hint of danger. But so far there was nothing. Just mint and empty streets.

Gemini was caught between her knuckles, and had a wider range of movement. Prepared to find victims.

So far, nothing. But finding nothing didn't mean that nothing existed.

"Come on, Laxus," she muttered, tapping her foot and pacing. Loke's connection to him, the connection she allowed when they started the job, meant there would be no problem getting in touch immediately, but the fact that he hadn't-

_BOOM!_

"Oh thank the stars," she hissed as she dashed downstairs and out the front door, whizzing by startled guests with hands over their noses, to meet him where he had landed. "Smell it?"

He put a hand on her shoulder but didn't press too hard. Not as hard as he could have. In fact, she might have described the pressure, or lack of it, as gentle. Her hands, she pressed to his stomach. She gave him the second he needed to return to himself and to her.

"How could I _not_?" He answered her, finally. After a long, hard look at her. Making sure she was safe and whole. It shook her, that look. But he straightened fully and looked around, letting her breathe normally. "Where does it start? Where does it end? Loke said you sent Plue out?"

"I did, and he couldn't tell. Says there's a little bit of it everywhere, but it is very strong in the lobby, here." Lucy took his hand and pulled him through the entryway, but he had barely made it beyond the threshold when he started gagging and pushed back.

"Fucking hell!"

"Yeah, Plue did much the same."

"No way I could track anything under that. Natsu maybe could, but my nose isn't as good as his. Neither is Gajeel's." He considered, "What about the little girl?"

"Wendy?" she bit her lip. "Not that I know. Cobra maybe. But the better their noses are, the stronger the mint would come through, anyway, so it seems pointless. It seems like the whole reason he's using the mint, now, might be as a way to foil you, do you think? If you were right before, and maybe his focus has turned towards me, maybe his methods at concealment have also taken a turn to account for our abilities. Leaving the trace of mint wasn't so much a mistake as a … a false trail? Or a stronger cover? The general forensics might not have caught a scent before, but a dragon slayer might have. But with the mint, you can't get a personal scent under it? Do you think?"

"It's as good an explanation as any."

"I did talk to Hisui while you were gone," she told him, as he started to walk. Choosing to follow the path outside instead of face the prospect of passing out inside the inn. She noticed he was taking a path similar to one she watched Plue walk from the window. Following the trail of mint as it got weaker. "She was finally able to eliminate a few more from the list because of ones who could only go to all of the winter events. They were attending summer events with the Royals or the noble houses, or possibly traveling to business abroad. We're down to twelve."

His steps hesitated. "Was Runnar on that list?"

"Yeah. Yeah he was, when it was thirteen."

"Anyone else I'm familiar with?"

"Brath, Hanrae's brother; Kentis, Ama's uncle; Richard, Magna, and Char; Bendi, Runnar and Char's older brother, who hasn't been going abroad with his father-in-law; Maso, the Lord Wilnlo we're going to see tomorrow; interestingly enough, Usain Trant, Jaxon Trant, the magic supplier's brother, who should be able to secure favor enough to take part in at least the lesser nobles' parties during the summer season; Franklin, Porter, and Valient Gorrn, who are father and twin sons," she shot him a cockeyed smile, "and Brandish Domino, the Domino heir, and Miss Amilia's eldest brother."

Laxus stopped in his tracks, and she stopped with him. "The Domino kid would be pissed about us…"

"About you, you mean. Yeah. I agree."

"But would he be interested in _you_?"

"Not that I can think of." She tried to remember what she knew of Brandish, who would have been two or three years older than she was before the Tenrou sleep. "Their family was as concerned about appearances as my father, but better at keeping it. He has always been very, very proper."

"In public."

"Correct. In public."

"What about the others?"

"Maso Wilnlo is interesting," Lucy said, as he started walking again. "Because he just took over the business this year. We talk about changes, that's a major one. He went from being not-quite-footloose-and-fancy to holy-shit-responsible in a moment. One terrible crash. Took out his parents and his younger sister. Tragic."

"Or was it…" he suggested.

"Yeah. _Or was it_ , indeed."

"Brath… Hanrae is annoying as shit, but the kid seems stable enough…"

"I'd say the same about Brath," Lucy agreed.

He pulled up at an alley and looked inside before continuing on. "The triad?"

"Eh? Oh, the boys… I don't see why they'd have the compulsion. Not enough apparent depth, there. Richard, maybe. Seems rather introspective, spends more time away from the others, and gets run down more than the other two, but Magna and Char … I'm not ruling anyone out completely, but I don't see it. Same with the Gorrn men. They're just … boring. So they've never been invited to anything else anywhere ever. That's the only reason they're still on the list. The work to do this, the effort? No. I don't see it."

"Trant? With his brother's magic stuff…"

"Yeah. That one stood out to me, too. Jaxon sought me out that first dance in Mason. It was odd. He didn't fit the sort of man who should dance with me. And he offered me a job, should I choose. He was … friendly, in a way that no one else in Mason house had been. Looking at that interaction with the name _Trant_ on Hisu.." she coughed, "on the list makes the interaction seem even stranger. The magical element here absolutely cannot be overlooked, and of the whole list, Trant's the only one who has a direct connection to magic."

"It's not Jaxon, though."

"No. No, it's not. And," she looked around at the empty road and houses, closed tight with curtains all drawn closed, which they were passing, "our contact couldn't speak to the relationship between the brothers. She only deals with Jaxon."

"Not as helpful as it could be, but still…He have anything like Wilnlo that makes him a good candidate for changing this year? Or any connection with you?"

"None that I'm aware of, but the change could be personal, and the _connection_ ," she swallowed hard, "could just be _physical_. Usain Trant was, if I remember correctly, on my father's list of people he considered marrying me off to, back in the day."

Laxus did not seem pleased with that revelation. "He know he was on the short list?"

"I don't know. Surely not. And I can't imagine father actually going through with it. Usain? Never. Everyone knew he was second fiddle to Jaxon. And Jaxon married well, so as far as the family went, really he was kind of third fiddle, after Maybel, Jaxon's wife. As soon as they had children, he would be fourth or fifth fiddle… Why would he marry me to Usain Trant of all people? A virtual nobody to the daughter of the king of railway transport. Absurdly lopsided, unless my father thought him capable of running the business better than I could, which he couldn't, or he was old-blood nobility and could raise our standing from business elite to _noble_ , which he's not. But I guess everything I just said might have something to do with a build up of resentment towards me and my father, now that I think about that…"

"Yeah, no shit."

"Papa and the Trants already had something of a natural partnership due to the fact that it was entirely impractical for Jaxon to move his goods cross-country by any other means but by rail. He needed father, in that way. But in another way, Jaxon's product is a guaranteed seller. It might not be a staple, like grain, but it is a necessity in its own right: magic. People pay lots of money for it in every corner of Fiore and beyond, and Jaxon is the largest supplier. If Jaxon decided to take his business to carriage caravans or something, it would cut into my father's profits. So, I suppose, creating a more solid blood connection might have had some merit to them… Ew, though, seriously."

Laxus stopped, finally, grabbing her forearm. "This is where the mint either starts or ends, I can't tell. There doesn't seem to be any _age_ to it. It just _is_ and then _isn't_." He pointed from the main street to the alleyway.

"Go back?" she asked. "Or do we search the rest of the town?"

"Who do you have out right now?"

"Plue and Loke and Gemini as Wendy," was her quick answer. "Anyone else would freak people out, and if someone's injured, Wendy's healing is draining on me. We're not very good at it in the first place. Just … just small things and patching up a little, but it drains me fast, so any more than two gold and a silver risks my stores."

The grip on her forearm loosened and he let his hand slip down her arm to interweave his fingers with hers. It felt... nice. It felt very nice. She blushed.

"Don't worry about that. If you've got people looking out here then we'll go back to the inn. If I can manage not to puke, I'll check it."

She nodded.

0000

She didn't want him to treat her like glass, but at the same time, she respected the fact that he had a deep need to protect others. And at the moment, specifically her. So when he tugged at her hand to get her behind his back as they approached the inn, she didn't complain. She could say something about it later, if she felt the need, but it was better to let him do what he was doing.

Laxus entered the inn cautiously, gagging again, but slightly less. Most of the mint had dissipated, to Lucy's nose. She could hardly smell anything at all anymore, and it was possible that most of what she smell was just what lingered on in her own hair and clothes and skin.

Through the lobby, he walked one foot forward, next foot forward. Slow. Measured. Judging every molecule of space. She tried to keep her breathing calm and quiet so as not to disrupt him. There was, she thought, a slight tingle in the air, but she couldn't identify it. It wasn't magic. It wasn't power. Uncomfortable and _wrong_ , like eyes on the interior of her heart. And a warm, sticky fluid, like rotten honey – sweet, but hiding danger – coating the inside of her skin.

It might have been something like _foreboding_.

She kept it to herself, since _this could be a trap_ was a completely unnecessary statement, and not in the least bit helpful. And would only serve to distract his focus.

It took almost an hour to check the entire (very small) building before they made it back into their room going at that pace, but they found nothing. Half-way up, Lucy heard back from her spirits that there were no wounded in town that they could find. She was relieved, but didn't let that relief take away her purpose. She kept straight behind Laxus as they continued on their way. In their room, where Lucy had been when the mint had descended on the town, there was still nothing out of the ordinary.

And no mint at all, to Lucy's nose.

Laxus let out a gust of air and seemed to lose six inches in height in his relief. Or what appeared to her as relief. He nearly crushed her hand. For a moment, a brief moment, he was completely and utterly still. And then he turned around and stared at her.

In his eyes she saw fear. And regret. And such a depth of uncertainty that she almost cried out in empathetic pain for him. But he was completely silent.

He picked her up. He tightened his grip on her. His face was in her hair. He was breathing her in, and she thought if he wasn't so intent on getting to the scent of _her_ under under the scent of _mint_ , he would be sobbing.

Laxus was scared. Laxus was shaking.

That was fair. So was she.

"This is about you, now," he hissed. Finally speaking again.

"Yes." There was no way to argue it. There were no Wilnlo female servants in their inn. Only her. Only her.

"We can't stay here," he was serious. He bore down on her. He almost hurt her. "Not at this inn."

She nodded, agreeing completely. "We can present ourselves to the Wilnlos."

He pulled back, and she was so grateful to see that some of the overwhelming emotion in his eyes had drawn back to be replaced with thought.

"We could go to my place. We can come back and forth as needed," he offered as an alternative, which he clearly preferred.

"There's no way to protect people from wherever it is you're living. We can't watch those here if we're half a country away," she countered. She understood where he was coming from. She understood his concern, his fear. But their job was far from over.

So they wouldn't stay at the inn. Not for another week. Not when the killer knew. They would patrol, because they had no choice but to patrol. Because if he was there, every person was technically at risk. Though she suspected Laxus thought the murderer had now narrowed his focus to her, and her alone.

And, if she were honest, she didn't exactly disagree with that. Why else their inn? Their inn when Laxus was gone? They were being watched. She was being watched.

She trembled in his grip, and he held her tighter.

"Okay. Okay," he said. "We stay here. We request a place at Wilnlo?"

"Yes. Fine."

"But now we go back to Blue Pegasus. I left in a rush after Loke showed up-"

"And your team, the whole guild, is probably freaking the hell out. With no clue where exactly you went."

"Yeah."

"Yeah." She sagged in his arms and pressed her forehead to his shoulder. She sighed. "All right. Let's check out and go."

0000

The crying that occurred when Laxus walked through the Blue Pegasus guild doors was, frankly, adorable. Were Lucy not so tired, stressed, and freaked, she would have appreciated it way more. Even as she was, she appreciated it quite a lot when they jumped him with such force that they landed him on his ass in a giant pile of wailing.

She just stood over them, watching, with a faint smirk on her face.

She looked up at Master Bob, who stood watch as well from behind his bar, and bowed to him. "Hello, sir. Thank you so much for taking good care of my family."

"Welcome to Blue Pegasus, Lucy. Have a seat while they sort themselves out. They might take awhile."

She giggled, and sat at the bar. It had a nostalgic feeling that made pain shoot up her spine. Squeezed at her heart. She rubbed her sternum as if the pain were physical, and then ignored it.

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"Do you have anything in strawberries?"

"Alcohol or no alcohol?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Normally, I'm not one for alcohol, but I've had a very, very hard day, after a very long week, after a very long month. I'm thinking alcohol."

"Mmm, sounds rough."

She watched his hands make the drink, strawberries and soda water were the only two things she caught him using. He looked nothing like Mira, of course, but she hadn't been in a guild hall since Fairy Tail ended, and this all just hurt so much.

The drink slammed down in front of her. "Strawberry rose gin fizz. Good flavor; pretty calming. Should do you right. Take it to that booth over there," he pointed. That's where they'll be when they're done blubbering."

Master Bob had such a sly gleam in his eye that said he probably teased them as much as she did. Maybe even more.

"Thanks."

She kicked Laxus' boot as she passed, sat, and waited. Master Bob was right. It didn't take long. Another minute, and they were sitting around her. Laxus on the bench with her, and Bix, Ever, and Freed across from them.

Like a trio of super eager puppies. Grinning and eager. With smiles that made her want to weep.

No. No.

She took a drink, and returned their grins. Noticing the wariness in their eyes. The watchfulness. The way they studied her, and Laxus. Waiting for orders. But still unable to set the puppyishness aside. Still panting and giddy with the return of their beloved master.

She could feel her mood getting better by the second. Maybe it was the drink? Her lips started to curl up, she-

"Don't," Laxus rumbled. "I swear, if your life wasn't in danger, I wouldn't let you within twenty miles of each other. Got a goddamn headache already."

She laughed. "I was fine. Wasn't I fine? I just needed to be able to _move_. And anyway, stop being such a _baby_ , Laxus. It's really quite embarrassing." She grinned at the Raijinshuu. "Hi! Sorry I didn't say _hello_ sooner, but you were obviously preoccupied. Anyway, sorry I've had to take him from you for so long, but I promise he's been very useful to me."

She caught the perverted twist of Bixlow's lips and wanted to cackle.

"Unfortunately, what we've been hired to stop, seems to have escalated. Or rather, seems to have … adjusted and crystallized its target."

"Explain," Freed commanded. Very seriously. Very, in Lucy's opinion, jealously. But maybe she was seeing what she wanted to see. Lucy supposed it didn't matter as long as it gave her a tiny bit of happiness. She grinned. Oh, she needed this.

Laxus spoke when she probably would have played a little longer, "We're trying to catch a serial killer, who's probably a rich guy, killing during social parties. Been doing it for four years. Lucy showed up, lookin' to stop it. Suddenly guy wants Lucy."

Ever snorted. "Big surprise."

Laxus laughed. The sound was rough and slightly manic, but it was a laugh.

"It's not my fault!" she waved her hands in front of her. "I swear it's not!"

"Course it's not, Cheerleader, but no questioning the fact that you've got shit luck."

_Shit luck. Shit luck. Shit luck._ Bixlow's totems agreed.

She sighed in defeat. "Well, I guess..."

"How can we aid you," Freed asked. All business.

"Still want the link," Laxus said. "With enough power, Lucy's got a small army at her call. Backup-"

"Wilnlos might let them in if we can get them guard uniforms," she told him, having already guessed he'd want his team along, "but if this guy, whoever he is recognizes them as Fairy Tail mages..."

He grunted. "Point."

"I know... we had this conversation already, Laxus. You can't tie me up here. Can't lock me away, alright? We need to bring him _out into the open_ , not scare him into hiding. He wants me? Fine. Good, in fact. _That_ is how we get him."

"Or _that_ is how he kills you."

She met his eyes squarely. He would see she was afraid, she wouldn't try to conceal that fear. She wasn't a liar. But the fear wouldn't stop what had to be done, now.

"Yes. Though it would be nice if that weren't the _first_ place you went every time we had this conversation, as if the very idea of my success were completely impossible." She clenched her fists. "I'm a – I'm a mage _too_ , remember. And this job is one _I_ agreed to take on. _I_ saw that girl on the kitchen floor, and Maggie was for _me_. I don't forget any of those things, and I won't be turned away from them. I won't be taken away from this fight."

"Goddamn it." He put his hands over his face, and she heard him mumble, "What do _you_ want?"

"The link." She looked at Freed, "I think the link at this point is necessary to guard the next house, and probably town. Having you all on-call from here would be appreciated, as well. Or from wherever you happen to be?"

"They can't get to us in an instant," Laxus countered.

"But you can get to them and back in two instants, so..."

"And if I'm incapacitated?"

"Have a little faith in yourself, Laxus," she smiled. "I know it seems like you don't have to bother sometimes, since _we_ all have so much for you. We do that work. But you have to have some in yourself. Pull out a bit of that ego. They're on-call. We need them, you'll get them. Okay?"

His eyes burned. She watched as they burned, and it was so much better than the torrent of unhappiness that she had seen in Winelow. She watched maybe a fraction of a second longer than necessary, and noticed that Ever, at least, had caught the deeper emotional connection in the exchange.

The woman cocked an eyebrow at her, and Lucy lifted a shoulder slightly in return. Neither confirming, nor denying.

"Fair," Ever said. "But we'll talk later."

"Fair," Lucy agreed, and turned to Freed, who looked confused. "Can we do the link, now, please." She held out her left hand to him.

The rune mage took it in his own. "It's usually done on the dominant hand."

"I saw how I wrote without a right hand," Lucy explained. "If something goes wrong, I want to make sure I'm not losing my writing hand. Can it be done on my left?"

"Yeah..." Freed began to, very carefully prep her hand for the magic he would use. Since it wasn't like Meredy's, true Living Link magic, the rune which connected her and Laxus' internal powers would need to be delicately placed.

"When did you see..." Laxus looked so confused that she chuckled.

"During the Dragon Festival at the Games last year. A version of me from the Future came through with Future Rogue, our attacker. She had, in her time, lost her right hand, and had to write with her left. I read her journal. Terrible handwriting. Almost unreadable."

Lucy smiled, like she did whenever she thought of that other girl named Lucy, whose life was exactly the same as hers... until it wasn't. It was a sad smile. Had to be one. Impossible to think of that other Lucy, and not be sad.

"What happened to her? I don't remember anyone saying anything about her before," Evergreen was a slightly more indignant version of confused.

"She died," Lucy explained. "Na...Natsu and Happy, they won't..." she swallowed and tapped her sternum with her right hand. "They can't talk about her at all. And I don't particularly like to, but I try to remember her often. She deserves to be remembered. She warned us of what was coming. And she saved my life, you know. That's how she died. " A giant wave of sadness washed over her. She began to have problems breathing. The sticky, putrid, uncomfortable _foreboding_ filled her.

Eyes on the inside of her heart. Knowing. Knowing.

"You're right," she told Bixlow. "I have terrible luck. Even when that me isn't me. I mean, she was, of course... Stepped in front of a blast that would have killed me. Me or not-me me, always bad luck. Odd watching yourself die."

She was crying, and the four former Fairy Tail members were staring at her, each looking more flustered and less sure of how to react than the other. But she couldn't stop. Not crying. Not talking. It was pulled out of her.

"Watching someone with your face just in so much pain, and then die. And your friends in agony because she is you, and she is dying... I understood my father better because of that," she hiccuped. "Because I have my mother's face, and she died, and father found it so difficult to look at me and to love me after, only coming to love me again when he could no longer see me, when he had years to forget, and _oh god, get it out of me! Get it out of me!_ "

She threw herself from the booth bench and started retching, grabbing for the keys at her side. When she managed to grab a breath she called, "Open the Gate of the Goat: Capricorn!"

Her spirit, her mother's spirit, her trainer, appeared and knelt beside her.

"It's not me," she sobbed. "It's not me. It's not _me_!"

"I know, Master Lucy. Shield your mind. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Imagine a wall."

" _All I can see is her face!_ " she screamed.

"You have to let go of it, Lucy. Let go."

"It's a _spirit_."

She could almost see it now, a hook in her heart, split into seven, glowing, burning, and yanking at her. It hurt. It hurt so much. Every heartbreak she'd ever felt. Every small sorrow. Every loss. Piled one on top of the other, and magnified. Blistered and bleeding.

"God, oh god!" she sobbed.

"I know, Master Lucy. I can feel it, too."

She ripped out another key. "Open the Gate of the Canis Minor: Nicola!" Plue ran to her and she clutched at him. A life line. She curled around the trembling creature, who made soothing sounds at her, as she herself shuddered and choked. There were hands on her, Laxus', Capricorn's, probably some of the others. Maybe some of them were Blue Pegasus mages.

Her power seized around her. Jerking and raging. She felt her friends burst into being and then felt their doors slam in their faces. She didn't mean to. Didn't mean to call them or to force them away, but she couldn't get control over herself.

Hands, more hands. She could feel them, but they didn't penetrate the piercing blanket of grief that enveloped her. It felt as if nothing would. Nothing could. Nothing _should_. She deserved what she felt. She deserved to d-

" _No!_ " she shrieked, slapping a hand on the floor. Pulling out another key. "Open the Gate of the Southern Cross: Crux. Open the Gate of the-

0000

When she started crying, he was shocked. A second before, she had just been talking. Sure, the topic wasn't exactly peppy, it wasn't a _happy_ story. He hadn't known she'd watched some version of herself die, but to start sobbing to the point of becoming _sick_? No. It made no sense.

"Lucy? Lucy!" He slid out of the bench behind her, on his knees beside the tall goat spirit, who was trying to coach her in some breathing exercise while she babbled about not having anything to do with what was going on.

He put a hand on the small of her back and coiled the other in her hair. He didn't _think_ she was actually going to be sick, but better to be prepared if she was. "Get a bucket!" Someone, he wasn't entirely sure who, slid one under her.

Ever appeared next to him with an elastic hair band, taking her long hair away from him and fixing it up so that it wouldn't cause any difficulty. That allowed him to move both hands to her back and waist. Holding her steady. Attempting to give what comfort he could. Which was basically fuck-all. Since she didn't respond to anything around her.

"She's being controlled," Bixlow said, unnecessarily at that point, having also come out of their booth.

"No shit. Can you tell by what?"

The seith mage shook his head. "Not soul magic. Not something I recognize. But it _is_ pulling at her soul, even though that's not where the magic is rooted. It's part of what is being manipulated."

Spirits began popping in and out around her. Laxus recognized some of them from his time with her, but a few of them were new. None of them, except the goat and Plue stayed for long. And then the Cross, Crux came out, quickly followed by the clock, who swallowed her up. Taking her away from him.

His hands clenched, missing her. But he knew the purpose of the spirit. To guard her. To make her safe.

"That work?" Laxus quickly asked the goat. "That work, like in Holen?"

He nodded, and Laxus grunted in relief.

"It's okay, she says," the clock turned so that he could clearly see her crouched inside of the spirit through the glass. "It's okay. I'm okay, she says."

"What the fuck just happened?"

"A spirit," Capricorn's voice was grim.

The cross's eyes went wide, "Yes. One we haven't come across in ages. A century."

"Dao Luk Kai. Mama used to tell me stories, she says." The clock moved closer to the group, seemly encouraging them to sit down. Behind the glass, Lucy was wiping her face with her sleeves and sniffling soundlessly. "The Seven Chicks. I didn't know that they were real. I thought they were just a story. That the white-gold keys were myths, since none of you talked about them, she says."

Capricorn nodded, "The story isn't commonly known or told, and for very good reasons."

"They're manipulators, she says."

Freed, who had done as the clock's body language was demanding and sat, leaned forward on the table. "Manipulators how?"

"Luk Kai, the Seven Chicks, is a spirit of emotional manipulation. The gold and silver keys are, for the most part, physical. They use wool or play music. They can protect by fighting, or are very strong. Some offer wisdom, some are simply companions. A celestial mage with a white-gold key like Luk Kai can use it against you so that you do things. In this case feel things. Luk Kai won't attack you directly. Not like Loke or Taurus or Virgo or even Aries would or could, they would control you until you couldn't fight back, she says."

Laxus saw her come out of her tight position and lean up against the glass. Her eyes were sharp, and she met his concerned stare with epiphany.

"In Mason; before the ball. I felt it. The hedge maze. With my mother. The same pull, the same deep sorrow... sure, it was an unhappiness that was in me and rooted in fact, but another thing had hooked in. Luk Kai. It was Luk Kai, in Mason, she says."

"So..." Laxus considered how easy it would be to break the glass on the clock. To get in. To touch her. Her wild hair. Her tear stained and swollen cheeks and eyes. "Our serial killer is … a celestial spirit mage?"

"Impossible, she says."

"But-"

"If there were a single spirit mage in any of those houses, I would have felt it. If there were a single key in any of those houses, in that town, I would have felt it, she says." Her expression was passionate, but the way her words were relayed were so neutral that it was odd to hear.

"Then how exactly does what happened make any sense, Lucy?"

Her shoulders drooped. "I don't know, she says."

He wanted her out of the clock. He needed her out of the clock. He couldn't smell her. Needed to touch her. To verify that she was safe by more than simple sight.

"What if you were right, in the beginning," Laxus suggested, looking to her in her clock and then to the cross. "Could it be a woman? Spirit mages are usually women. Not always, but usually."

"It's not possible, Laxus. I know those people. None of them are celestial spirit mages, she says."

"That was eight years ago, Lucy."

"And there's no rumors of any of them practicing magic. Or hints of magic in any of them. None of them are mages, she says."

"Then how did that just happen?" Laxus demanded.

Freed waved a hand in thought, or maybe to get the attention of the group. "Could it just be the spirit reaching out for you? No human magic involved?"

"I can't imagine a spirit attempting to drive me to suicide, even Luk Kai, she says."

Ever dropped her fan, "To what?!"

Laxus couldn't even speak. His heart had stopped in his chest.

"No," Capricorn shook his large head, "I would disagree. The sorrow of mourning a mother is a connection you and Luk Kai would share. And the desire to follow the mother is part of Luk Kai's emotional self. It isn't impossible that it is a key reaching out for you, Master Lucy."

"Crux, what do you think, she says."

"I think there must be a hand behind it, if for no other reason than because of distance. And Master Laxus is right; statistically, most celestial spirit mages are female. I will consult my books, Miss Lucy, but we are not always given to telling who has what keys."

"I know, Crux. Do what you can, she says."

The cross faded from the room.

"Freed," Laxus turned to his friend. "She needs some type of protection. If this … whoever the fuck this is, has a hook in her, she needs to be protected from it. Can you create a barrier for her?"

"Yes. Yes, of course. Can you stay in... in there until I'm ready, Lucy-sama?"

"I can, and just call me Lucy, she says."

Laxus turned back to her. "Say I go along with you, and it's not a celestial mage, which makes no fucking sense, but I'm pretending I'm buying it in theory. Who could it be?"

She bit her lip and leaned back against the clock's back wall. After a few long minutes she came back to press against the glass. "Trant, she says."

"Trant," he repeated. "Trant. He could get his hands on a key, yeah. But use it?"

She leaned back, "Maybe he doesn't have to so much. Maybe the situation is somewhere in the middle of Capricorn and Crux's thoughts. Trant encourages it in someway, but Luk Kai reaches for me because I'm actually a celestial spirit mage, she says."

"Talkin' Jaxon Trant," Bixlow cut into the conversation. "The magic-material man?"

"No," Laxus also leaned back, getting more comfortable with the idea that Lucy was currently safe, even if he wasn't exactly happy with her placement. "This would be his brother. Usain."

"No way to know without going back to Wilnlo and checking, she says."

"Ugh."

"You know I'm right, Laxus, she says."

"I don't know that. I don't know that."

"You do. You're just a bit overprotective at the moment. It's cute. And it'll be cute for about another … day. Then it will not be cute, she says."

He saw something then, recognized something that he had been missing behind the glass, puffy eyes, and a surprisingly good mask. Hiding it, not from him, but from this place that – for her – wasn't home. And from his team, who she probably thought didn't deserve what she was so desperate to tuck away. Who wouldn't really understand what they'd been through over the past month.

Terror. Pure, unadulterated terror. Not just residual sadness from the attack. Not the usual fear or concern that had haunted her – them – since the beginning of the job. This was _terror_ , and it was powerful.

Blood rushed to his ears and the muscles in his back ached. His shoulders. His arms. His hands. He burned with a need to rip the wood of her clock to pieces, to shatter that glass, to get to her somehow. Because _fuck_ he couldn't do a goddamn thing for her. Not like they were.

He closed his eyes and took a long drawn-out breath. "Yes. Yes, fuck yes, I'm being overprotective. And I couldn't give a flying shit if it's cute or not."

"I have a meeting with Vew, tomorrow, she says."

Laxus swallowed, "Since we didn't make the party tonight?"

"Since that, yeah, she says."

He turned to Freed, who was writing fast, and caught his attention. "The wards at my place. You think they're good enough to protect her?"

Freed looked from him, to Lucy, and back. "I don't know how this spirit works, so I can't make promises-"

"Expert opinion, Freed."

"Yes. Especially if you wait and let me give her this personal one."

"And the link, she says."

"The link can wait," Laxus disagreed.

"Not if we're relocating to Wilnlo tomorrow. I'll need to be able to work like I did in Holen, and I can't afford to be that drained, she says."

His jaw clinched. He wanted to yell at her. Wanted to curse and rave and scream and blast the entire area with lightning. But he didn't. He didn't do any of those things. He managed to keep control over himself.

"The link, too, if you can," he said, though he knew his team would hear how little he wanted it done. "We'll go to Wilnlo tomorrow. Tonight, we'll stay at my place. I need at least one good night's sleep."

He watched her very exaggerated eye roll. "You've had plenty of good nights. Last night, for example, you slept very well. Don't act like you haven't slept for days or something, she says."

"Fucking feels like it."

"The more you talk, the less you sound like you enjoy my company, she says."

He snorted, "I thought your team's problems were all Natsu related. I'm beginning to see, now, that I might have given Natsu too much credit, or too much blame."

"Hey. I am not responsible for any of this, she says."

"Sure, you're not, but you certainly haven't made it any easier."

"Well. If you'd let me be bait, I would, she says."

And with that, he decided to not talk to her. Talking to her was only making it worse. Just sit and wait for Freed to finish his work. Bixlow and Ever, seemingly having sensed the mood better than they usually did, were equally silent.

A little over an hour later, Freed finished both the protection ward, and the link. He directed Lucy to get out of her clock spirit, and applied the protection ward to her stomach. He would have applied it to her back, but she said she had a dress that she might wear that would show off her back, and it would look weird to have a rune there.

Laxus nearly broke his mug when she talked about her hypothetical ballgown because he'd rather not ever set foot in another ballroom ever again.

And a dress with an exposed back gave him flashbacks that he didn't want to have.

Freed applied the link magic to her left hand, and Laxus' right. With a slight amount of focus, Laxus pushed power through the rune and she sucked in a breath.

"That feels nice. I didn't realize how much that display with all the gates opening and closing drained me!" Her voice was scratchy and thick, even though it had been over an hour since the attack.

Of course, it was an hour trapped in a clock. Silent and curled in a tight ball. Probably not comfortable in the least.

"Do you want something to drink?" He wasn't exactly inclined to be gracious to a person who seemed determined to throw their fucking life away, but he couldn't seem to help himself. Especially when she looked so damn pitiful.

"Yeah. Yeah, and eat. I don't imagine there's anything worth eating at your place being gone a month as you've been. I-" Her eyes were wide and she pressed a hand to her chest. "I feel it. I feel it reaching for me again." She looked to Freed. Took several steps until she was beside him, and then bent so she could hug him. "Thank you. This will hold, I think. And now, if I can feel it. I can... maybe I can follow it."

She touched her hand to her chest again, pressing hard, before looking up, up, up at him. "Dinner?"

"Yeah." He clinched his teeth, looking at that hand, processing what she said. He'd ignore it. For an hour. Maybe the night. He'd ignore it. For rest. "Not shit at my place. Might as well eat here. Bix, can you order something?" he asked the seith mage, keeping his eyes on Lucy. Worried what could happen to her if he let her out of his sight for the slightest second.

"Will do." The man jumped up and headed for the bar.

Laxus noticed Ever and Freed also kept a close watch on Lucy, who kept a hand over her heart. Almost absently, she returned to the seat she had abandoned, and Laxus followed suit. For another stretch of time, their table was quiet, which made the general quiet of the guild stand out. Lucy had obviously freaked the place out.

Big fucking surprise.

Laxus followed Bixlow's reassuring conversation at the bar, explaining what was going on to Bob and some of the help there. Hopefully smoothing any waves. Within very little time, he brought the five of them curry noodles, and Master Bob himself followed with drinks specific to each of them. He didn't say anything in particular, but he did place a hand over Lucy's for a brief moment, which seemed to unknot a muscle or two.

Laxus appreciated it.

She dove into her food with no small amount of hunger, and seemed to enjoy her drink, which smelled strongly of strawberries, a scent that was a pleasant replacement to so much freaking mint.

Not long after a young Blue Pegasus guildmate brought Laxus a second bowl of noodles, he begin to sense agitation in his partner.

"Hmmm... hummm, mm, humm, hum," she was muttering or humming while tapping her foot

"Lucy?" Evergreen asked.

"Mmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"Fine."

Laxus studied her face from the corner of his eye as he continued to eat. "Have an idea about something?"

"Maybe. Why leave the mint like that, but not do anything about it? I said maybe he was hiding his scent, but why hide it when he didn't actually do anything there? He could have done this from anywhere."

"Mint?" Bixlow was confused, but neither he nor Lucy bothered to explain.

"A warning," was Laxus' quick explanation. It seemed obvious to him. "Like Maggie. Like Runnar."

"How is a smell a warning when only you could have caught the smell at that crime scene?" she countered.

Laxus considered, "You said you could smell it in Runnar's room."

"Yeah, but without you having smelled it at the murder earlier that night, I wouldn't know to connect it. It could have been anything. I can't track like you can, and besides that, no one knew _I_ found the body-"

"Except Lord and Lady Holen," Laxus interrupted her, leaning into her side, putting his chopsticks down. No longer interested in the food.

"And Char Holen," she added. "Who could have learned you smelled mint from the servants. It's _his_ house, after all."

Laxus sat back in the booth. His blood cooler by any number of degrees. Considering this accusation. This suspect. "I kind of liked him. At least I didn't despise him like I did so many of the others."

"Char would have, could have, told Magna and Richard about me. It doesn't have to be him."

"Yeah. Yeah. So let's say it could be any of the three. How did they do it, Lucy? They aren't wizards either."

"Like we thought Usain Trant could: Magical objects. Usain's still on the list, maybe. But thinking about it more, he can't know about either of us knowing about the mint to use it as a threat or a cover the way he did in Wilnlo. Not unless someone told him. And who would tell him?"

"Is he close to the Holens? And they wouldn't have Trant's magic access."

"Money is access," she said. "And no, not close."

He wanted to growl. He knew she was right. "What about the key? How would he command the spirit that controlled you?"

"Good question." Laxus watched her unhook a key and call out her cross once more. "Crux. How would a man without his own magic use and control a celestial key?"

"Make a slave of someone who can," was the simple answer. The simple, terrible answer.

Lucy covered her mouth.

"Yes. You're right. I'm sorry. I forgot."

"I understand. You're in trying times, Miss Lucy. I have an answer on your other question; though, it is not a helpful one. Dao Luk Kai is not currently under contract with a celestial spirit mage."

Lucy removed her hands. "It actually is very helpful. If it is being used, but no celestial mage is contracted to use it, that means it has to be activated by some means _other_ than normal. _Or_ it is acting on its own. What do you think, Crux? Is Luk Kai calling for me of its own volition, or is it being manipulated by someone not used to handling spirits?"

Silence overtook their table as the cross appeared to slumber. Lucy watched him with patience, and Laxus, having had enough experience with the spirit by this point, did the same. Which was the only thing keeping his team from asking questions. He could see Bix and Ever begin to fidget at the end of the fourth minute. Luckily it was only five minutes before the cross came alive again with a shout.

"While Capricorn is not wrong that the base of Dao Luk Kai rests on the death of the mother and the mourning suicide following that death, a spirit seeking a master would not encourage that potential contract to sorrow of that depth. It is absolutely illogical. On the other hand, you are a threat for the criminal you hunt, and their only hope now is to get you out of the way. Being a killer, the easiest way to do that is to kill you, and from a distance, if possible. The answer I would give, though it seems impossible, is that someone without any skill of spirit magic at all is controlling one of the alternate zodiac keys."

Lucy bit her lip, and Laxus clenched his teeth.

"Thank you, Crux. Thank you for all of your help."

"Of course, Miss Lucy."

"Close the Gate of the Southern Cross."

Lucy looked at him, "It's Char. I know it is. He fits as well as Runnar did, and more than that, he's the only one of the list who could gather the cause to kill his brother."

"Why?"

"He's now the Holen heir."

"And you? Why you?"

"I don't know."

But Laxus did. Laxus remembered the way they looked at her in that first hotel. The remembered the way they dove for her when they came out of the carriage at the front door in Holen. He remembered the unhappiness when Runnar took her away from them. He remembered Richard coming to him to see if she was available for the taking. He had assumed Magna, based on Magna's general behavior. But thinking about the way he was with his dinner partners, he flirted with Lucy no more than anyone else. Char had a preference.

Char had a preference.

Laxus knew.

"Char invited you to the party, but Runnar was the one who spent the most time with you," he mentioned. The only part of his long thought.

Laxus remembered the prostitutes and the way they'd treated them. Laxus remembered Runnar and the way he'd treated Lucy. Laxus remembered how Runnar had propositioned Lucy. Gone to her room. And died for it.

"Runnar shouldn't have been there," Lucy explained. "He was too old, and had already been married. Those parties were for the younger kids, the single ones. Rebelling against their parents, maybe the last time before they were forced to toe the line..."

"And Char invited you..."

"And Char invited me, yes."

"Will he come to Wilnlo? He'd have to be out of his goddamn _mind_ , Lucy. His brother just died..."

"If he is what we think he is, it goes without saying that he's out of his mind. Out of his mind and in year four of a compulsion to do this. He has to do this. He feels it as a burning need, and at the same time, he feels threatened that he won't be able to. Cornered, desperate. Suffering from withdrawals from something that might as well be an addiction." She put a hand on his shoulder, "If we don't get to him before the Wilnlo event begins, yes. He'll be there."

Laxus looked at her, at the woman he'd been charged at the beginning of the season to protect, and had done such a lousy job of doing so. At his old guild mate. At a friend. At a person he'd, in such a short time, come to love. And in loving, come to fear.

All he could see was failure.

And death.

Women on cold floors. Broken. Starved of air.

His fault. His failure.

If he lost her...

"Then we'll go to Wilnlo," he said. Though it was the last place on Earthland he ever wanted to go again.

0000X0000

**Author's Note:**

Hello! I haven't really spoken to you before, but I've inserted some information into this series that might benefit from a little cultural context! 

Okay, so... this chapter features my first really big add to the series, the "white gold" keys. I live in Thailand. Dao Luk Kai (or Look Kai, as it's often spelled in English alphabet, but I chose the "luk" spelling to make it less confusing) is a Thai star story. It is basically this:

A really really really poor couple was super poor and hungry. Eventually they were able to trade a TINY amount of rice for a chicken. The chicken did okay, and eventually managed to lay 7 eggs, having 7 chicks. THEN a monk came from the woods. It is custom for people to offer something of value to a monk to make merit. So, the couple, though they are still poor and hungry, decide to cook the chicken. They still have the 7 chicks, so they'll be okay. The hen, hearing this, tells her chicks to take care of themselves. The hen is killed and cooked. In their great sorrow for the loss of their mother, the 7 chicks throw themselves in the fire, killing themselves in mourning. This was super meaningful and impressive and stuff, so the 7 chicks were immortalized in the stars … they are known to people in the west as the Pleiades cluster of stars.

Super freaking depressing, right? I think so, at least. The couple is now poor and hungry again, and everyone is dead. All because you're supposed to offer stuff to some monk who shows up out of nowhere. And they walk EVERYWHERE. Some people still seem to abide by the tradition, and others not so much. Most give money, though. Not chicken or rice. Money's easy to carry when they walk.

Thanks for reading!


	14. No Such Thing As Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lucy and Laxus guard Wilnlo.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Fourteen

No Such Thing as Home

"It's nice," Lucy told him, turning a small circle around the living area of his medium-size one-room apartment. It was bigger than hers, but then she'd suspected it would be, it _had_ to be. Her apartment would feel claustrophobic to him. Her one in Crocus at least. The studio in Magnolia had been more open and airy. Maybe he would have been comfortable there. She could see him...

She pushed the thought of Magnolia from her mind. She always did.

"Do you spend much time here?" Sure, it would have only been a few months, but it felt very new. Almost untouched.

He shrugged. "Nah. Not really. Out on jobs a lot. Training, too."

Lucy nodded, still looking around. While she understood it for him, she couldn't really imagine it for herself. She needed a place to go home to, even if it didn't quite feel perfect. She needed a _home_.

Needed a home, and didn't have one.

Who needed a spirit to break your heart? Not her. She was a champion at breaking her own heart.

She took a deep breath and did everything she could not to point that out. Luk Kai _was_ tugging at her again. Somehow the spirit was hooked into her deep enough to know what she was thinking despite the protections of the personal rune and ward on Laxus' apartment.

Why?

It had to be connected to her being a celestial mage. Or if the person handling the key was strong enough to push through _Freed's_ enchantments. She couldn't do that. She was certain she couldn't do that. Sure, it wasn't affecting her, she wasn't being forced to _feel_ , but she knew the spirit was touching her, which meant the spirit could reach her.

Lucy sat at the table. She didn't want to tell Laxus. Enough had happened in the last week to scare him for her.

"Well, it's a nice place," she told him.

"Please stop talking," he said. Hand on the table. She could see the tendons standing out in it. Green veins, pulsing under the skin. All of him tense. Unhappy.

"Sorry," she whispered.

That hand fisted over the surface of the wood. And he sat. Leaned forward. Closed his eyes. Opened his eyes. Grunted. "Don't like when I can't do anything. Couldn't do shit. You called me in, and I haven't done _shit_."

"You saved Maggie," she argued, despite his previous request. Order. She had never been good at silence.

He made a sound in his throat that wasn't language, but she interpreted it as meaning it didn't feel like enough. That he still felt like a failure.

"Without you there, if it were just me, she would have died. _She_ wouldn't say you hadn't done shit. Those who care for her wouldn't say that. By saying that you're devaluing her life." Lucy looked away. " _I'm_ the one who hasn't done anything. Supposed to find... I've found nothing. Stopped _nothing_. Escalated. And it's my fault."

Laxus said nothing. He said nothing because it was a fact they had already established. She appreciated that he didn't make any attempt to lie to her.

"At least if he comes after me, he'll leave everyone else alone."

"You're sure it's Char?" he asked. She glanced at his hands again.

"No. No, of course not." She trembled. Swallowed. Closed her eyes, and sighed. "I was sure it was Runnar, and I was _wrong_. But it makes more sense that it is Char than the rest because why else kill Runnar?"

"Because he touched you."

"What?" She opened her eyes to look at him, and his expression... his expression frightened her.

Back down at his hands.

"Because he _touched_ you. Because he spent hours touching you. If this … thing has decided he..." his hands, his tendons might snap, she thought, "wants you, then Runnar might have been killed for that. Not for greed."

Lucy made the mistake of lifting her eyes, yet again, to meet his. They were ice. Cold, empty ice. She bit her lip and looked away.

"Are we back to twelve then?" She cleared her throat and tried to shake off the chill she felt.

His hands unclenched, and the chair he occupied squeaked as he leaned back. "No. Assume Usain knew he could have had you. Char's jealousy. Richard is run underfoot by assholes with stronger personalities. I don't see Magna feeling the need when he's so obviously getting his rocks off elsewhere. The Wilnlo's fuckups make sense. The kid's brother … maybe. The family? Shown no interest in you. Domino … no interest, but-"

"Amilia."

"Yeah. Amilia. And if it's that, it's _my_ fault."

"Doing what I told you to do. And Amilia is doing what all women do at these things. Flirt. Not your fault she's unmarried still."

"Still..."

"Yeah." Lucy tapped her foot. Chewed on her lip. Thought. "Like Ama, Amilia lost a suitor. Not that I suppose she's upset considering the man was older than Gildarts by a decade, but her brother might be angry. The longer she's at home the more she drains his eventual inheritance..." she cocked her head to the side, "but that's greed, again, and – I think you have a point – it wouldn't provoke the right reaction... What if... what if she were still unmarried and losing suitors because he was forcing them away because …. he … loved her? He didn't want to see her married. Overprotective of her in that way, and it's you who provoked him..." She swallowed. "Wants … me … because maybe it would hurt you … indirectly? That would be an argument for Brandish Domino."

Laxus looked understandably disgusted. "Seems like a bit of a stretch. Doesn't explain Runnar."

"Runnar is him – whoever he is, whichever one is the answer – slipping. Maybe came for me and found Runnar in my room instead? Snapped. That's a mistake. Just like breaking the neck of the first girl."

"Why make a mistake there?"

She hung her head, "I don't know. If it is Char or Richard, it could be about us, but it could be about anyone or anything."

"You said we couldn't use that argument."

She chuckled. "I guess. Need patterns. The rest are about us, maybe this is, too."

"So … Char. Char as our best guess."

"Char. Yeah."

"We'll go in the morning." He sounded resigned.

"We'll go in the morning," she agreed.

0000

He didn't follow her to bed. He wasn't sure how he could have stood it. How he would have managed it. He was too afraid for her. Too afraid of what would happen. He was certain he would hurt her. And she was already frustrated at how overprotective he was. He needed to get a good grip on his sanity.

A day ago. A day ago, he had felt so confident. So sure that they would be okay. That he could keep her safe, and that they would overcome.

Now he was terrified. And now he hesitated to go to her because he didn't want that terror to show.

But it was eventually impossible – because he _was_ scared and he _was_ overprotective – to keep his distance.

He found her curled around a pillow in the dead center of his bed. Her breathing maybe too shallow and too labored, but sleeping. Safe.

Then she gasped, and it was pained. She curled tighter around the pillow, her head and knees almost touching. She wasn't sweating. There was no blood, so it had to be emotional.

Were the runes …. had the protections failed so completely?

She gasped again. Relaxed. Sighed. And he closed his eyes in an ironic sort of relief. This wasn't a spirit. This was her own mind. A nightmare. The runes weren't glowing, and there wasn't the slightest hint of magic around her. Just a nightmare. Better for her. Wouldn't kill her. But when he saw her face tighten in unhappiness, he couldn't be completely relieved. It wasn't the spirits, but it wasn't _not_ the spirits, either.

The horror they'd pulled from the depths of her, her past and her heart, were probably feeling much more fresh than normal. Like they'd happened days or months ago instead of years. Terrible enough, her actual recent loss; terrible enough, their actual current situation. Luk Kai had called up one of the most painful and tragic memories she had and ripped it from her, like skinning her flesh from bone, and displayed it before them all.

No, this was a nightmare, but it was a nightmare she wouldn't have had without the attack from Luk Kai.

He was afraid to get into bed with her. He was afraid that his fear for her would cause him to hurt her in some way. His worry. He'd never worried like this before. He'd never, never seen anyone quite so broken as she had been in that moment. Those moments. Blue Pegasus. Mason. Mira, maybe. But Mira... that was natural. Understandable. And she had been surrounded by people who could keep her something resembling whole.

If the runes and protections broke...

Laxus couldn't even continue the thought. He knew to do so would make _him_ too emotional. And he needed control. And sleep. He did need sleep.

Her face, her expression was smooth. Neutral. The runes were clear. There was no scent of foreign magic in his apartment.

He peeled off his shirt and pants and climbed into the bed. Carefully replacing the pillow with his body. Maybe her body could find comfort and calm attached to him, when it could not do so from an ineffectual pillow. And next to her, _he_ could finally stop fretting.

Because he was where he wanted to be.

Fear, or not. Worry, or not.

Where he wanted to be.

0000

"Vew," Lucy stood before the young woman and bowed, but shallowly. Behind her, Laxus stood unmoving and straight. He wasn't in a bowing mood. He had decided to go into full guard mode, so he crossed his arms and watched the room with a steady gaze. "I'm not here today as I was in Mason or Holen, or as I had planned to be at the remaining houses. Seeing what happened in Holen, and learning more about those situations, I have come to offer my – and Laxus' – services as working mages while we stay here. Starting today, if you will, or on Friday if you'd rather."

It had been obvious since setting foot on the Wilnlo estate that Vew and Maso were working under the assumption that something would go wrong and that it was their obligation to do everything in their power to stop it. Laxus was pretty damn sure the woman would take Lucy up on her offer.

"How much would you charge?" Vew asked. Her face was carefully neutral, and her posture straight in the tall, uncomfortable-looking chair and tight-corseted dress, but Laxus thought he could read her intent well enough.

Laxus saw Lucy's shoulder twitch, as if she wanted to look back at him. She wanted, he knew she wanted to say they would take the job for free, but that would be very suspicious. She probably also wanted to check with him, but that would _also_ look suspicious.

"Based on the situation, this is clearly an S-Class level mission, but it's also not going through the guilds. It's personal. Obviously you have us here already, and obviously you know _me_ well enough to know I feel compelled to help. I'd be satisfied room and board if we come through, and with damage repair insurance if we engage."

"How do you mean?"

"Replacement of any of our magical items or outfits which are damaged in the event of a fight, and forgiveness of damages caused in the same."

Giggles rolled through the door followed by Amilia Domino. Laxus maintained his posture and blank expression better than Lucy maintained her own professional demeanor. Though surprise and curiosity were only on her face for a moment, and Laxus was pretty sure neither woman caught them.

Amilia kissed Vew on the cheek, and then Lucy. "Better be careful with that, Vew. Surely you've heard how much damage she's rumored to cause!"

Lucy's chuckle was almost perfect. If he didn't know her so well, if his hearing wasn't so good, he wouldn't have caught the strain and hurt in the sound.

"Not me! Those were my teammates! I'm very careful, and Laxus as well. Neither of us are individually known for much in the way of damages." Laxus didn't contradict her on that, though he could have. When he was younger...

The Wilnlo lady looked down her nose at Lucy and smiled. "I'll informally accept, though I'll need to talk to Maso to make it official."

"We'll need to have access to the entire estate at all times," Lucy told her, "and make it known that my spirits will be wandering around as sentries. Will that be okay? They will be as discreet as possible, I assure you."

"Again, I'll speak with Maso." Vew looked up at Amilia and held out a hand, "Sorry, Mili. Were you looking for me?"

Amilia smiled at all of them, "I was. I was bored. No one is here yet, and there's basically _nothing_ to do. I was wandering more than specifically looking for any one thing."

Laxus took note of the fact that her dress was incredibly casual, comfortable, even. And that she was barefoot.

"Is your brother here with you?" Lucy asked. Laxus snapped his eyes to the back of her golden head and waited with heightened anticipation for Amilia's answer.

"He dropped me off a few days ago," she told them. "He's off hunting with a few of his friends, at the Kandamey house."

"That's east of here, right?" Lucy put a hand on her hip, and Laxus could no longer tell her expression by the sound of her voice or her words. Maybe she was just faking interest. In any event, it wasn't something he really needed to worry about. Brandish wasn't on site. That was the important part.

"It is," Vew waved a hand, leading them through the door, taking them from her office and into a much more comfortable room filled with chairs and couches, littered with pillows and throw blankets.

Lucy took a place close to the fire in a round, overstuffed chair. "I've never been there. I've heard the land is beautiful, though."

"I've never been either," Amilia took the couch closest to her. "But it's one of Brandish's favorite places to go this time of year."

Vew dropped down on the floor, directly before the fire, and grabbed a pillow. She put it behind her back and leaned against the wall. "I've been several times since moving here with Maso. It is beautiful, but you wouldn't like it very much, Amilia. There's absolutely nothing to do anywhere near the property."

Laxus shifted from one foot to the other. "Ladies, while you three chat, I'm headed out." He nodded to Lucy, who gave him a small smile. "I'll keep an eye out."

"Thanks, Laxus. Loki and Gemini are scouting, if you see them. I'll see you in a few hours. Be careful."

He nodded to the lady of the house, and to Amilia – who ignored him, seemingly still upset about his denying her at the party in Holen – and left Vew Wilnlo's sitting room to begin his first round guarding the house.

0000

"Why are you doing this?" Amilia asked her, after Laxus had left the room. The fact that the young woman had gone from enamored to bitter over Laxus in a span of days told Lucy a good deal about what happened the night Runnar died.

Poor Laxus.

But it certainly put a little more weight on Brandish...

_Focus._

"Volunteering to guard the house?"

"Yes."

Lucy bit her lip to keep herself from saying anything too rude. From screaming. "Three people died, and one person almost died in two weeks. I'm under the impression that at least four more are expected to over the next four. I – and Laxus – have certain skills that can be put to use … so it only makes sense, logically and morally, that I _put them to use_. To _not_ do so would be both illogical and immoral. I couldn't live with myself if I turned and walked away knowing what was happening here when I knew I could possibly help stop the killing." Lucy nodded to Vew, "Look how much effort Vew and Maso have put into protecting their employees. It's the same thing. Because it should and must be done."

"Thank you, Lucy," Vew snuggled against the pillow. "Maso's father wasn't very concerned. But I was frightened last year especially. It felt like … it felt like, this is something that is inevitable. Can't be stopped. And then this year? Spreading. A man who isn't a servant? ...Maso suggested that it was a copycat murder-"

"It could be," Lucy agreed, "but the Council guard didn't think so. Laxus and I have friends in the guard, and we talked to them before we left Holen. They are pretty sure Runnar was killed by the same person who killed the baker's assistant and almost killed another young woman earlier that night. And whoever did that is likely the same person as did all of the previous killings..."

"Well. Then... right."

Lucy thought the woman might cry. But she didn't. Amilia slid from the chair and joined Vew on the floor.

"Okay. I guess I understand," the youngest Domino told them both. "Let's talk about something else. Let's talk about your party. Let's talk about clothes. Let's talk about anything else, okay?"

Vew nodded, and Lucy curled further into the chair and added in what she needed to to stay in the conversation while watching the two of them. Every once in awhile she'd rub her wrist, checking on Laxus and Loke and Gemini. It wasn't the best afternoon she'd ever spent, but there were no dead bodies, and Luk Kai didn't pull on her. It was relaxing enough.

She laughed at a joke that wasn't funny – Amilia thought she was cleverer than she actually was – and curled her feet under her. Prepared to wait for dinner, and the two other women to grow bored of their gossip.

0000

Lucy called dinner to be delivered to their rooms. Laxus met her there, and they ate together in silence. She knew he hadn't found anything, so there was nothing to say on that subject. And Lucy hadn't learned anything of note sitting with Vew and Amilia for the day. There was nothing for them to do but sit in silence and eat.

"I'm letting Gemini out," she told him when they were finished, "when we sleep. As you." She smiled, slightly. "It'll be like you're powering yourself. Like you're awake all the time. Loke will need rest, too, of course, so he might come and go, but Gemini will be out, and Virgo and Plue as well."

He nodded.

"You need to let me know if it makes you too tired, though."

He nodded again.

She sighed and shifted so that she could move from her chair to the arm of his without too much effort. "Laxus … Laxus, even you can get worn down. You have to let me know, okay."

He grunted, "Yeah, I got ya."

"And…" she sighed again and leaned her weight against him, "you need to let me know other things, too."

"Like."

"Like: What's wrong?"

"Everything. Everything." He lifted his arms so he could pull her from the arm of his chair into his lap. "Is that an acceptable answer, _everything_?"

She laughed, though it was shallow and a little sad. "A frightening one, maybe. Am I a part of _everything_?"

"In a way, yeah. In a way, no. You're fucking terrifying me, for obvious reasons. But you also make it easier to be here."

She swallowed. That wasn't something she expected him to say.

"I feel the same."

He snorted, "How exactly do _I_ terrify you? No one is out to kill or hurt me."

"You're determined to tear yourself down," she murmured, curling up into his chest. Closing her eyes. Finding comfort in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and the pleasant warmth of his body. "All out of worry for me. Making that, in essence, my fault. That's pretty terrifying for me. So I propose a deal. Let's stop being terrified. And just be happy we're not doing this alone." She lifted her head to meet his eyes with her own steady gaze. "I'm happy I'm not doing this alone. I wouldn't have made it this far without you. And I'm glad it's you. Of any of our friends. Because I'm not sure we ever would have had this time. I hate how it happened, but if we can solve this, if we can fix it, and have that victory as a time to spend together … why not overlook the worry and just … find comfort in the fact that we're together, now. At this moment."

"Hmm." He shifted so that both of his arms were wrapped fully around her and he could comfortably put his cheek on the crown of her head. "I can't promise not to worry. Not completely. But for now, I think I can do the _find comfort_ thing. Sounds nicer than any other fucking thing going on recently."

Lucy could almost hear his eyes grow heavy, as his arms went slightly lax around her.

"I haven't drained you too much?"

"No. No. Just the stress, like you said. Didn't sleep all that well last night."

"Then how about we go to bed . We know there's no one suspicious in the house right now, not really. So there's no reason not to go to sleep early and then wake up early. Vew and Amilia said some of the men might be coming back tomorrow. We should get our sleep while we can."

"Another good idea." He lifted her before she could climb out of his lap, and he carried her through the sitting room into the room they decided to sleep in. The one with the window closest to the kitchens. He placed her on the bed gently, and crawled next to her, exhausted. She was pretty sure she had drained him a bit too much. She would wait for him to fall asleep and then call back Gemini and Virgo. Plue would be fine for recon tonight. If something happened he could wake her in a moment, and Lucy could call the others out.

But she wouldn't tell Laxus she did it.

0000

Because they were there as guards, not guests, Laxus talked his way _out_ of the the dinner and the after-dinner brandy and wine. Lucy was crazy jealous. But she was the one who set the rules that she would keep an eye on the men.

Gah, she wish she hadn't done that.

Not just because they were annoying. Though they were annoying. But she also because she was only able to watch and talk to them. She had no enhanced senses, so he would have to drop in from time to time to observe the room.

"So, Brandish," Lucy said to the man over a glass of heavily watered white wine, "how is the textile business?"

She was surprised to hear him laugh. "Did Amilia tell you?"

"No. But I have my sources. I'm shocked. It's not like the Dominos to peddle in common wares."

Brandish shrugged. "We had a few hard market years, which made me rethink my personal fortune. I've no plans to restructure the Domino business interests as a whole, gold will always have worth, but there is value at the other end of the economic spectrum. The company I'm invested in handles everything from grain sacks to undergarments to sail cloth. Diversification in necessary goods. Now, if there is another problem in the mines or a lean year for precious metals, I have a secondary source of income-"

"And one that is divorced of your father's control, or your brothers' influence?" she suggested.

He chuckled, "Yes, that too."

"Well, I think it is smart of you. Congratulations on taking that leap."

"Quite the compliment from a woman famed for leaping." Brandish gave her a slight, nodding bow. "I thank you."

Lucy shared a grin with him while feeling absolutely sick to her stomach. She really hoped it wasn't him. She hadn't talked to him much in the past, but he seemed so nice...

"Lucy," Richard had come to join them by the window. "Brandish. How are you?"

"Fine," Lucy replied, studying the man quickly. Nothing about him appeared out of place or suspicious. Not that she would expect to see the killer looking disheveled. "And you... or, perhaps – and I'm sorry – more importantly, Char?"

"I'm well. Char is … holding up."

"Pass on my family's condolences, again, when you next see him," Brandish implored him, clapping a hand on Richard's shoulder.

"You can do it yourself, actually. He's upstairs, and plans on joining the press tomorrow." Lucy was shocked both by Richard's words and by the neutrality with which they were spoken. "He didn't want to, but his parents are forcing the issue. He's all that's left, now."

"They couldn't have waited until the summer season? Or one more house?" Lucy hissed.

To her surprise, it was Brandish who shook his head. "No. Bendi is contracted firmly to Kattia Adles' family, as are his children. Lady Holen is too old to have more children, and Lord Holen had an accident not long after Char's birth that … injured him. He's not capable of having any more children, even if the Lady _were_. Or he took a mistress. If Char doesn't reproduce, it is possible the name _Holen_ will fall. That the business and fortune could pass to the Adles' family. Lord Holen would _never_ risk that. He'll want Char bound by the end of the season."

"That's absurd," Lucy exclaimed. "If _nothing_ else, Char could adopt and appoint an heir to stop a merger. So could Lord Holen, in fact. All it takes is an adjustment in the will, which is going to have to be adjusted _anyway_ seeing as Runnar died. Add a backup heir that isn't Bendi – a niece or nephew – to keep his money from Jaynee Adles."

"You know most families prefer close blood connections," Brandish shrugged.

"Of course, but that doesn't mean the option doesn't exist. Or that you push... Runnar _just died_ at one of these things!"

"They weren't all that close anymore," Richard said, as if offering salve for a wound.

"So he is unaffected?"

"...no. No. He regrets... He said things that night..."

She had heard some of them, but she kept her mouth closed. She planned to keep her mouth closed. It was better that she kept her mouth closed. But then her personality got the better of her-

"We all get angry at people we love and say things we don't truly mean, from time to time. He and Runnar were brothers. Words, no matter how harsh, can't change that. Trust me. I came back from seven years of lost time to a letter from my father, telling me he was sorry and that he loved me. We couldn't always talk to each other. We fought. We didn't … we didn't _understand_ each other all of the time. Most of the time. But at the end of all things there was no question. We were father and daughter. And we loved one another."

The hand over her chest probably looked like a motion of sincerity to Brandish and Richard. Not an attempt to push away the seven hooks of pain brought on by her enemy's spirit. The flush in her cheeks and tears that almost fell from her eyes, high emotion, not the almost-control of an alternate zodiac key over her heart and soul.

They likely missed the faint glow of the rune on her wrist. She could barely see it under the long sleeve of her dress. Both men were looking at her with eyes clouded and softer than they'd been before she spoke.

They had been moved by her statement. Too moved to notice any little oddities. She swallowed.

_Good_.

"Pass on my condolences, too, please, Richard."

"You could do so yourself. I'm sure he'd be pleased to see you."

She gave a lopsided smile, concerning herself with Richard's words and Brandish's attention in order to ignore Luk Kai. "I was the one who found Runnar, remember? I'm likely the last person he wants to see. Or maybe I just don't feel especially comfortable facing him quite yet."

"He doesn't blame you," Richard whispered, reaching for her hand. Grasping her fingers. Her right hand, thank goodness.

"His parents do. And they have a right to. I knew something was wrong. The magic," she was evasive. She shook her head. "I didn't get there in time. I didn't take the threat seriously enough. I rested," she almost spat. "He has a right to blame me."

Heat sank into her skin through layers of skirt from her warming keys. She almost slouched in relief. "Speaking of, I need to switch with Laxus. You two have a pleasant evening."

"Take care, Lucy." Brandish favored her with a true bow that was deeper than she deserved.

"Be safe," Richard kissed the hand he held. She managed not to shudder. She had not forgotten that Richard was still on their short list.

Lucy attempted to walk – not flee – the ballroom.

0000

She was flustered. Agitated. It put him on edge.

"What's wrong?" he grunted when she was close enough to hear.

"Just saw Richard. Char's upstairs. Didn't come down for wine, but he'll join in for everything tomorrow."

"Fuck," he spat. "Not good. Means everyone's here."

"Mmm," she tapped her chin. "I'll check with Vew. No special parties here. I'll station a spirit on each floor. Plue can hide. Gemi and Mini can as themselves, small enough. Apart, even. Char, Richard, and Magna are close together, and Brandish is close to the Trants, who are close to us. The twins and their father are together. Brath is likely near either us or Char, we find out where the twins and their dad are, and then we've got them tonight. In their rooms."

"Day?"

"Vew made tomorrow much more structured than Mason or Holen. Tours, tastings, a concert, buffet lunch, winter garden magic show/theatre performance, dinner, ball. They should be easy to follow tomorrow and conspicuous in their absence."

Laxus thought about it. "Yeah. Sounds about right." He saw a small flare in her eyes. Pride. "Your plan?"

"The performance was already scheduled, but I suggested formalizing the structure for Saturday. It _is_ her first gala, after all. Better to take control than to let things go with the flow and have no one show up anywhere on time. Of course, rebellion could cause it to backfire, but after Holen, we figure people will be somewhat pliant."

"Yeah. Pro'ly right."

"Anyhow. It's time to switch." She tapped her nose. "I can't get any hint of the mint, so it's your turn in there. I'll keep watch outside."

"Got it."

He watched her begin a circuit as he turned to enter the house. This one, as Lucy had hoped, wasn't so bad. The man and woman in charge weren't nearly as pompous. The household employees were better cared for. In general, Laxus felt an awareness in the house, that the owners understood how the world worked for everyone, not just for they themselves.

There was respect there, and Laxus appreciated that.

At the same time, Maso was clearly uninterested in Vew, and Vew was clearly upset about that fact. Laxus was able to – through his enhanced dragon-slayer senses, which he really regretted having, yet again – discover that the Lord of the house was sleeping with at least three of maids he employed. Laxus wasn't 100% sure, but from the barely hidden depression he could sense in Vew, he assumed the young woman knew. Maybe not which maids, but she knew there were affairs.

And knowing that, she might be justified in treating her servants like shit. Or at least feel justified in being a bitch towards the females on her staff. But she didn't. She wasn't. Laxus was impressed.

He hoped that the killer wasn't Maso, for Vew's sake. What a fucking horror show, to be married to that. At the same time, maybe it would be a blessing to take over the house and be free of such a husband.

God, he was ready to be done with this job. He was tired of thinking like this. Like these people. Like monsters.

0000

He was exhausted. There had been no mint at the dinner. No mint at the activities. No mint at the ball. Almost a week of limited sleep. Pent-up stress with no release. He was exhausted.

Char had come out of his room to eat, and that was all. He didn't attend any of what Vew had planned outside of meals. Neither did any of the other men on their list act suspiciously. Laxus never caught a whiff of mint.

There were no bodies.

"Laxus … Loke says there's nothing." Lucy's brown eyes were huge. She was tired, too. She'd pulled on his power almost not at all after that first day. He'd tried to convince her he was fine, but she'd insisted. He was actually damn impressed with her stamina. He was pretty sure she had at least two spirits out on her own power at all times.

He looked at her. "It's 5 A.M. There's still time before this event is over."

"Get up. Go run. I know it's early, but … Laxus…"

He didn't wait. He was already up and dressed.

"And you? What will you do?" He was worried. Again. He was scared. Again. He was almost shaking.

She was stronger than he had ever given her credit for, emotionally. The fact that she even sort of bounced back in the short time after Runnar, after Maggie, after Luk Kai, and facing the future right now of what was happening at Wilnlo was shocking.

There were no lines on her face, and her sleep had been better than his under the Wilnlo roof.

He could still barely look at her without having a memory of finding the blonde girl superimposing itself between them. And from that moment when she kissed him and fundamentally deepened and solidified the connection between them, it had only gotten worse. _His_ nightmares, and he did have nightmares, had resulted in a series of bruises on her hips from clutching at her while they slept.

She insisted it was okay. She wasn't bothered by a few bruises.

"Need to see who is gone. If no one … have to find out if someone left. Re-evaluate our information. Talk to the … to our client again." Her eyes flicked left and right, he could guess that she was thinking of who she knew to be in the house last night versus who was at the Holens' two weeks before. Of every list and every statistic they had run through in the month they'd been on the job.

"Stay in the room." He didn't grab her. Didn't touch her. Didn't hurt her. "It's suspicious if you're caught out," the reasoning was okay if not at all the reason why.

She knew. Lucy wasn't stupid. She knew. But she also _understood_.

She smiled. It was soft, and a little sad. But it was a smile. And it was for him.

He was so goddamn grateful.

"I'll stay, Laxus. For right now. I'll stay. You have an hour, I'll stay, then I come out. If Loke needs me, I come out. If someone, or you, needs help, I come out. But while you scout, you don't have to worry. I'll be here. I'll be safe." She stood and reached to grab the hem of his shirt, "But you will _also_ call if you need me. Loke is listening for you, too, Laxus."

He kissed her. There was no stopping himself. He bent down to her and he kissed her. She was right. It hurt. Knives inside him, ripping at the soft flesh of his internal organs. Leaving him open and bleeding. Vulnerable. Weak.

She pulled away. "Run."

_Once more. Just once_ , he wanted to say. To beg. _Please, once more._

But he left.

He ran.

So hard to think clearly. Last time he ran from a room he found a half-broken woman, and she found a corpse. And they ended up with nothing. But this time she was safe. Safe in their room for an hour.

He ran faster.

Kitchen.

All senses on high alert.

Passing the council guard liaison Gajeel and Lily had sent two days earlier with a wordless nod. The guard knew they suspected a murder, and Laxus could tell he was equally shocked by the lack of one.

Was it the guard? Was that the reason it was so quiet?

Had he been too scared to hit the house?

"The village…?" Laxus hissed to himself. Realizing. Fearing. Remembering the festival. The food. The dancing. Remembering what followed. The smell. The mint. The hotel where their killer _had to have been._

"The village. _Shit_."

His jaw hurt from clenching it.

He could be there in a second. But the house still needed a full check-

Fuck. He was going to puke.

"Loke," he growled.

The spirit appeared in a shower of gold.

"You don't want her out," the lion stated the obvious with no humor.

"I have to check the town. Now."

Loke sucked in a breath. He almost unconsciously adjusted his cuffs with an agitated twitch, "Ah..."

"Let me know when she's ready and I can le-"

"She's out of the room and headed downstairs." The spirit was obviously not happy with this fact, but was equally obviously resigned to it. "You can wait for her, or go. She'd prefer go. She's fine."

God, the pain. He didn't know what to do with it, so he used it as the foundation for his power and left for town. Hoping not to find another girl. Another broken girl.

0000X0000


	15. With My Last, Dying Breath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Lucy faces down the enemy.

Downstairs and Dead

Chapter Fifteen

With My Last, Dying Breath

Since Laxus had checked the servants' quarters and the kitchens, Lucy headed first to the laundry. From there she checked the rest of the workers' areas of the house, then the public areas, while Gemini and Virgo walked the private halls listening and looking into private doors, checking on the sleeping guests.

Finding nothing inside the house, she moved outside. Checking storage sheds.

And then the oak-barrel-filled wine storage building.

It wasn't wine she found.

Well. She did. There was wine there. But it wasn't _only_ wine she found.

There was a girl on the floor. Red hair. Long, pale legs, bare and stretched out, kicking. Kicking. _Kicking._ Long, pale arms, lifted so that long, pale fingers could twist a spoon in circles to tighten the tourniquet around her own throat.

The sounds she made as tears dripped from her eyes. Her body thrashing. The sounds she made as...

"Oh god!" Lucy began to run forward, but then stopped. She stopped when she finally noticed the other person in the large building.

She was waiting for her. Had been waiting for her. It was obvious. The casual stance, leaning against a stack of casks. The relaxed posture, arms crossed under her breasts. Wrinkling the soft, fine linen of her dress. Lucy almost shouted the woman's name. A woman! A woman, by the _stars_! She'd said she'd keep an open mind bu... But then Lucy saw the chain.

A limp chain dangling from one hand. Drifting down. Over. Connecting to the collar around the throat of yet another woman. A fourth woman. A woman with long, pale hair and near translucent skin. The woman was bent in a way that might have been considered kneeling, had she knees. But she didn't have knees. Because the woman in chains wasn't truly a woman.

She had a tail. Blue, like sapphires, highlighted with emerald flashes, and touched here and there by the pink of scars.

She was a mermaid.

A mermaid, chained. Enslaved.

There was a sound – a gasp, a gurgle – from the red-head on the floor. The girl Lucy forgot upon seeing the mermaid. Eyes snapped back to the servant girl trying to choke herself to death.

Lucy cried out. Cried out, and then turned finally back to the person responsible.

"Amilia … why?"

The youngest Domino shrugged. "They would have come after me if Victoria or Rachael or _you_ died. No one cares about her."

" _I_ care about her," Lucy snapped, "and that's not what I meant."

Amilia shrugged again, "I like watching."

"You... like..." she couldn't even finish the sentence.

"I can't argue. Can't be angry. Can't be too opinionated. That's not the way a Domino lady behaves. This is how I am able to express myself. You know how it is."

"No! No, I don't _know how it is_! The hell, Amilia?!"

She clicked her tongue, "Well, I guess it's impossible for you to understand. You never cared, and then you always fell into gold, didn't you? Just like your base-born parents. Like dirt couldn't touch any of you. And men! They just throw themselves at you. I'm nineteen years old, and unmarried. Me! A Domino! It's unheard of-"

"Maybe they sense some of the crazy coming off of you, Amilia, and stay the hell away. For good reason."

Lucy was careful to keep her attention on Amilia. A narcissist. Certainly. Killing because she was angry at being snubbed for other women? Lucy wanted nothing more than to turn her attention to the girl or the chained mermaid, but that might put them in greater danger.

"Amilia..." Lucy stopped. She could not think of a single thing to say that would reason with a person who had done all that she had done. "You …. when did you kill for the first time?"

"Kill? I've never killed anyone," Amilia smiled at the woman at her feet. "They want to die. So they die. They are all so afraid and so sad. They want to die," Amilia told her. "I just watch."

It was so very hard to breathe without screaming. So very hard to see without crying.

Amilia spoke without inflection.

Lucy shuddered.

"Why does this one want to die?" Lucy asked, remembering the visceral need Luk Kai called up in her, she didn't doubt Amilia's bullshit surface explanation. They were _made_ to want to die. And _she_ was the puppet master. She couldn't justify away that guilt with semantics.

"My brother made her promises he has no intention of keeping," she frowned.

"Does Brandish do that often?"

"He and others."

Lucy took a deep breath. Another. Considering this new information. How it completely altered everything they'd thought before. The _killer_ wasn't raping them. Some of her victims, however, were picked because of who had attacked them first? Is that what she was saying? Her brother had touched this girl, and that was why she chose this one to kill?

_Sweet stars._

"What about the ones who weren't touched?"

Again that shrug. Lucy clinched her teeth. "I like to watch."

"In other words, they're stand-ins for your petty anger. So you maim servant girls and mark them in a way to indicate the person they're standing in for. My lock. Rachael's necklace. The Holen house braid…"

"So smart!" Amilia drawled. She shifted, and it pulled at the mermaid's collar.

Lucy tensed at her whimper.

"Oh don't get so worked up. She's a siren. They're manipulative."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "She's a nymph, a naiad, not a siren. Like any mystical being, she's honest to her character. More honest than humans, at least." Lucy's eyes went wide when she finally understood. "Minthe."

Amilia kicked the mermaid's scarred hip, "Look Minty, you're famous!"

"Minthe," Lucy corrected, awestruck. "Funerary... preparation of the body for..." Then horrified. "You've _enslaved_ the funerary naiad, Minthe? Are you _mad_? What am I saying?" she threw up her hands. "Of course you are! Obviously you are!

"Listen, idiot, you don't fuck with mermaids. I know this from experience. I was practically raised by the celestial spirit mermaid, Aquarius, and had I even considered chaining her as you have her kin-"

"Waaah waah waah, Lucy." Amilia kicked Minthe again. This time in the lower fin. "Enough with your bleeding heart bullshit."

It was a struggle for Lucy to stay in one place and not jump to the naiad's rescue. But she wasn't quite sure what other tricks the murderer had up her devious sleeve.

"Who made promises to the blonde in Holen?"

Amilia snorted. "Don't ask stupid questions."

"Runnar."

"Runnar," Amilia agreed.

"You don't … you don't watch _men_ die, usually. Why Runnar?"

She shrugged. It made Lucy's blood boil. "I lost my temper. It was wrong of me. I feel a little bad about it. It wasn't his fault. It was, of course, yours."

"Mine?"

"Yes. Men throwing themselves at you. Like always. You should have been the one to die, but I could not find you that night. Or I did not want to find you. I can guess where you were. I saw you in Winelow. Dancing. _Friends_ ," she snorted. " _Liars_. Liars and spies. You never came as Lucy Heartfilia. You were always Lucy of Fairy Tail."

"There is no Fairy Tail, right now," Lucy told the woman, "but I was hired, I will admit. Hired to find the person killing servants. So, you see, someone does care."

"Hired by who?"

"Our client is confidential. She does not wish to be associated with the case, but wants it stopped. And I will stop it, Amilia. Stop you."

Mentally, Lucy prepared herself to call out Gemi-Wendy. The servant girl would need saving. She was still breathing, which was something. The talking had distracted Amilia, and slowed the girl's torture. Offensively … Sagittarius to hit Amilia directly. Defensively, Virgo. Needed chains magic to free Minthe and then to dig her away from her jailer.

Lucy felt along her wrist; Freed's rune. Laxus' power was there. He was searching. She tugged on that rune. Maybe he would feel. Maybe he wouldn't. He had so much power that he might not notice her taking power away from him.

She tugged at the tether that connected her and Loke. She had sent him to Laxus, tied them together in a way. So if Loke heard, he would alert Laxus. If Loke heard.

"How are you calling spirits?" Lucy asked, looking at the two small chicks she could see tucked under Amilia's skirts. Lucy assumed there were five more around her, somewhere. "You are not a celestial spirit mage."

Amilia tugged at the chain attached to Minthe's collar. "I control Minthe-"

"And Minthe calls them," Lucy finished. " _You_ ," Lucy looked at the mythical creature, "left the trail. You cover up after the crimes, and prepare the bodies as she wishes for their display after death, funerary nymph, but you left the scent trail out of your own choice."

"Save me-" Minthe's voice was a harsh, rattling whisper.

Amilia yanked the chain again, and Minthe screamed. Odd with just a pull. The bindings were surely more than they appeared.

"Minthe, are we well hidden?"

"Yes, Lady Amilia."

"Then call up the other two and get started. Killing her won't be easy, I'm sure, but I expect you to manage."

"Open the Gate of the Reborn Crocodile: Dao Ja Ra Kae. Open the Gate of the 3 AM Dog: Dao Mah Lap." Amilia held the keys, but it was Minthe who spoke their names and who had the power. Minthe's summon of the alternate zodiac was smooth. And powerful.

Bells rang out, and flashes of white left Lucy blinking. When she could see again, there was a translucent, but faintly green, shield surrounding Amilia and Minthe.

"The Reborn Crocodile wouldn't protect just anyone," Lucy countered, "and the 3 AM Dog can't be bribed. You need to stop, Amilia. If you, as you say, aren't a killer, don't have this woman under your control kill."

"She is no woman."

"Amilia-"

"I will watch you take your own life, Lucy. I will watch as you weep." She pulled Minthe's chain tighter, almost lifting her off of the floor. "I will watch as you beg. As you scream, sorry for the inconvenience of your corpse. I will-"

Lucy felt Luk Kai's tug. That pull. So much stronger now that the spirit was right there in front of her. Four chicks peeking out from under Amilia's skirts. One looking around Minthe's blue tail.

She choked and nearly fell to her knees. "Amilia..."

"Oh, Lucy. Such a disappointment. Sure, you look more fuckable than a cheap whore, but beyond that? What worth do you have? A mage beat by one without a bit of magic, using keys! Ha! What a lovely story!"

"Open the Gate of the Archer: Sagittarius!" Lucy coughed.

"Moshi moshi," her tall, bow-wielding spirit arrived.

"I need that barrier down!" she shouted before he could give her any further greeting. "Open the Gate of the Twins: Gemini!" They popped out and again, she shouted a command without pause, "Heal the girl enough that she won't die and protect her as you can! Pull on my power as much as you need. I'm still hooked up. I'm fine." She waved at the twins and pulled at the last key she'd prepared, "Open the gate of the Maiden: Virgo!"

"Mah Lap," she called to the 3 AM Dog, who had sat silent, watchful, since being summoned. "You have been poorly treated these four years. My name is Lucy Heartfilia. When I defeat your … captor, I would be interested in speaking to you about a contract."

There was a green flare of light as Sagittarius' arrows began to hit the shield, but none penetrated. She urged him to continue.

The Dog took in a deep breath, a long yawn, and sighed. "One master or another, it's all the same to me."

This time she did laugh. "Maybe you feel that way now, but I can guarantee you'll enjoy life with me more than with Amilia."

Amilia rolled her eyes and snorted. "It is not my job to make life enjoyable for servants."

Lucy ignored her and focused on Mah Lap. "For one, I'm capable of holding to my promises, what with actually being a celestial spirit mage. For a second, you'll actually be called through my power, not that of a enslaved, abused naiad. For a third, I don't have to seal the key to hold it," she could see the rune tape around the base, forcing a contract that the non-celestial non-mage couldn't actually make for herself, glittering as the Dog considered her point.

"Fourth, I'm not a serial killer, so you can take a little more pride in your existence, if you like that sort of thing. I don't have any other white gold, alternate zodiac keys, but I do have contracts with nine of the gold keys."

The Dog's ears perked up.

"Nine?"

"I did have ten, but Aquarius sacrificed herself to let me call forth the Spirit King in a moment of great need a few months ago." She put a hand to cover her heart. "I … I still carry the 10th key, of course, but she can't be summoned anymore."

"Ten … who don't you have?"

"Pisces and Libra. A friend has contracts with those two."

"How many can you call out at one time?" She saw the Dog's black eyes flash. There were stars hidden in their depths.

His body language was changing, preparing for something. He looked hesitantly eager, and he was focusing his energy towards her. She could feel it.

Amilia didn't control the Dog's key. At least not to the extent that she thought she did. Not even through Minthe.

The Dog was, by nature, rather lackadaisical. Not as unfailingly loyal as the Chicks or the Crocodile. His service would have to be earned, and Amilia hadn't earned it.

Lucy could take him.

"As many as I need." She let go of her connection to Laxus' power, calling only upon her own. She remembered the moment at the waterfall when she called out to save Loke and opened the gates of all of her remaining spirits. Fewer spirits, then, but less power, too. She burned, and the air around all of them, human, naiad, and spirit, filled with the ringing of chimes.

Surrounded by friends, Lucy called, "Force Close the Gate of the 3 AM Dog: Mah Lap!" Pulling support from those of her friends around her.

Amilia laughed, and the key glowed in her hands. The chicks of Luk Kai chirped and dashed to hide under her skirt. Ja Ra Kae's head turned so that he could view her with one large, dark eye.

"Force Closure: Gate of the 3 AM Dog!"

She felt a flickering. Both in her, and in the power of the key across from her. There was a connection, and Mah Lap was reaching for her. He wasn't contracted, not officially, so there was no reason to hold on to the person currently abusing his key.

"FORCE CLOSURE! GATE OF THE 3 AM DOG!" she screamed at the barrier. At Amilia. At the Dog. All of her will, pushing outward, focused on freeing that spirit from the binding forced upon him.

In a shattering stream of sparks, the Dog vanished. Amilia yelled out, enraged. Minthe was crying.

"Open the Gate of the 3 AM Dog: Mah Lap!" Lucy called, and the Dog came into being in front of her. A white-gold key in his mouth. He dropped it into her waiting palm.

"Well then, Lucy," the Dog sighed. "I'm guessing that you don't want to hide."

"No, Mah Lap. I very much do not. I've a friend, a lightning mage, who would be useful..."

The Dog gave a toothy grin. And howled.

The 3 AM Dog was considered the constellation of thieves. Lazily sleeping through most of the night, dark, quiet, letting everyone pass. For the most part. But he was still a watch dog, even though he was most famed for being poor at it, in the early hours of night, he did eventually wake. And when awake, the 3 AM Dog was an alarm.

As a spirit, Mah Lap manipulated attention. He controlled what you saw or heard. He could hide his master from being discovered by a person standing a foot in front of them. Or command someone to come to them from far away.

The howl filled the wine cellar and likely echoed for miles in every direction. With his hearing, Lucy had no doubt that Laxus would hear. Even if he didn't feel her pull on his power.

Lucy looked back at Amilia, who was frowning and hunched. "So. Laxus will come. You don't have the Dog to hide the sound we make here. Minthe's gift of cleaning death won't be enough to cover your tracks, either, with Mah Lap's call. What else, Amilia? What else do you-"

_BANG!_

Amilia shot her.

_The... the hell?!_

Lucy hadn't seen _that_ coming.

Wasn't a great shot. She was too angry. Hit her dead center, instead of where a good organ would be. Or her head, which would have been more instantly fatal. Amilia hit her on bone. The bullet shattering on her sternum. Probably used to hitting round targets not actual people. Or people-shaped targets.

Amilia's brother was a hunter. Maybe Amilia was, too? Or not?

Thank goodness for celestial clothing. Thank goodness for preparation. Thank goodness the woman hadn't aimed for bare skin!

Holy shit did it hurt, though.

_Remember to thank Virgo for the clothing. The wonderful, protective clothing. Otherwise that would have gone much farther than bone…_

She felt dizzy. Sick. There was blood, but nothing like a significant amount. This was going to lead to one heck of a bruise, maybe the bone was a bit cracked, but it wasn't in need of repair immediately.

Lucy noticed that the small gun, barely larger than Amilia's small hand, was still raised. And realized that she was going to fire again.

_Shit!_

Dropping to her knees, she avoided a second shot. Rolling, she missed a third. Sagittarius released a volley of arrows that bounced off of the barrier, but created enough ripples to distract Amilia from firing again.

She choked back a sob. Or a scream. Or both.

"Gemini!" Lucy called to the spirit who was still waiting by the servant girl on the other side of the room. "I'm fine for now. Stay there. Stay there." She looked up to Sagittarius, who had shifted so as to stay beside her. "What about the shield?"

"Too strong, Lady Lucy."

It had been a stupid question. Obviously it was too strong, or the arrows he had been firing would have broken it long before.

Lucy was panting but nothing too dramatic. She was rather proud of herself. She figured she'd freak out more over being shot after this was all behind her. Until then, she was happy to be up – because she was up again – and moving. To still be going. But then, Amilia wasn't a mage. Just a person. A really terrible person. A really terrible person who had killed a lot of people.

"Princess!" Virgo appeared from the ground beside her. "I'm also unable to break through the shield to free the naiad."

Lucy looked at the Crocodile at Amilia's feet, opposite Minthe. "Damn. Mah Lap?" She looked at the Dog, "Can you do anything?"

"I'm afraid not, Lucy."

"Oh, no," she breathed. This could be very bad.

_BOOM!_

"Lu-!" Laxus looked around at the completely chaotic room, and Lucy started laughing. Not quite hysterically, but something close to that.

"What took you so long?" she demanded.

"I found one still alive in town … It's … It's Amilia?"

"Yeah."

"Is that a ... mermaid?"

"Yeah."

"And a crocodile?"

"Yeah."

The look on his face as he surveyed the scene was priceless. She laughed again, ignoring the pain in her sternum.

"…the fuck?"

"It wasn't her," Lucy whispered to Laxus, when he helped her to stand. When had she fallen? "It wasn't Amilia making a mistake with the mint. She did with the early kill at Mason and the spiraling at Holen and Winelow town, but Minthe – that's the mermaid – released the scent as a … trail. A warning, as best she could."

"Help from the inside," he muttered.

_And we still lost two._

She could hear his thought. She didn't bother with the usual. That she got to the girl at Mason before they even arrived. That it being a woman was completely unseen. Well, mostly. Mostly unconsidered. That all this power at her disposal seemed almost alarmingly impossible... It wouldn't work. Shouldn't work. They had lost those women. Lucy felt that keenly.

But now they had her.

She saw Laxus notice the blood on her shirt, and she waved away his raised eyebrow. "I'm fine," she told him. She could hear her own voice. She knew how terrible she sounded. But she didn't change her statement.

"Sure."

They both of them turned back to Amilia who was watching from inside the shield.

"The lizard is a celestial spirit known as the Reborn Crocodile," she told her partner. "He is a guard. Manipulative. Like Luk Kai, in a way. I believe Minthe has held him back thus far, but he will begin to work on you. Amilia will want you. She'll have him try and take you."

"How?"

"He chants and takes over your mind so that you desire to guard what he desires you to guard."

"Sound pods?"

"Your hearing is very good," she was honestly a little scared. If the Crocodile took Laxus, she could not overcome him.

"Open the gate of Lyre: Lyra!" The silver key spirit, who had aided them in dance would now hopefully aid them in this. "If he starts chanting, drown him out and break it up as best you can."

"Yes, Lucy." Lyra's usually soft, smiling face was serious and almost hard with determination. She lifted her harp into a ready position.

Laxus had covered his ears, "What about you?"

"Lyra will work for me; my hearing is not so good. And if he takes _me_ , you're powerful enough to knock me out to get to Amilia."

"I don"t-"

"I know, Laxus, but you'll do what you have to do." She smiled. "I trust you completely."

He swallowed. Nodded. She released his power, and he shook his head. She smiled again. They didn't know what the Crocodile could do. He might very well need everything he had. His eyes narrowed and hardened, and he turned to face their opponents.

Lucy raised her voice.

"Virgo. The chains." Her spirit didn't appear, but she didn't expect her to. She was underground. Waiting.

"Amilia. One chance. Turn yourself in. We'll take you to the guard and no harm will come to you."

The woman laughed. It was a high, sweet sound. "Harm can't touch me, Lucy."

And lightning fell while thunder roared. The bolt of power hit a dome of words.

The Crocodile was speaking.

Lucy heard it. His voice was deep. Sweet. Slow. And commanding. Filled with need and determination and righteousness.

"See? Do you see? I am not even a mage, and yet one of the greatest mages in our country, Laxus Dreyar, is unable to touch me. You must acknowledge my superiority, Lucy."

She sucked in a breath as the Crocodile's words made her dizzy, reluctant, but then Lyra hit an off-key note, and her eyes focused.

"Gemini!" They appeared between blinks. "Gajeel. I need Gajeel _singing_!"

Five out. Three gold, one silver. One white gold. She swallowed. Up until this point the power she used had been Laxus', so she was not yet exhausted, but she felt her power being used, now.

"Sagittarius, thank you," she told the tall spirit at her side. He nodded and faded. Maybe he spoke a farewell. She couldn't hear.

Four. She couldn't dispense with Gemini or Lyra. Virgo was on standby for an opening to get Minthe.

"Mah Lap, thank you. I'll greet you properly and form a true contract when this mess is ended."

_Him_ she heard as he said goodbye with a long howl, and then one more drain was ended as another gate was closed.

Three. She sighed with relief. Three was no problem. She could hold three keys for quite some time... she shifted her stance and begin to focus on the next issue at hand.

Amilia's keys.

Could she take control of the white gold keys from Minthe? Mah Lap had been happy to abandon captivity and come to her, but Luk Kai, it was obvious, had some sort of attachment to Amilia, and Ja Ra Kae seemed pleased enough to speak for her. Lucy would have to truly _force_ those keys from Minthe. It might be doable. The mermaid wasn't a celestial spirit mage or a willing participant in Amilia's crimes.

On the other hand, her control was firm, and she _was_ magic. Her supply was limitless as her immortal life. But Lucy had to try. As a celestial spirit mage, who saw keys being misused, she had to try.

Lucy chose to try for Ja Ra Kae first. The Chicks seemed _very_ attached to Amilia. That would be the harder bond to break.

"Force Gate Close," she focused her remaining power on the binding she could sense between Minthe and the Crocodile. He wasn't reaching for her. Not like Mah Lap had. Crap! Lucy fought to remember how it felt to push her will through to the spirit world when she fought to save Loke from disappearing. "Force Gate Close: Ja Ra Kae!"

In her concentration, she had almost forgotten that Laxus was still attacking the shield. She couldn't forget anymore.

It was if Laxus had struck her, the power backlash. She screamed. Almost fell. Laxus was behind her. Holding her with one arm. She trembled. She watched another bolt of lightning fall and crash against Amilia's protections. "Force Gate Close: Ja Ra Kae!" Again the pain, the drain, the weakness; Laxus struck.

"Force gate close: Ja Ra Kae!"

It hurt less. She didn't fall. Minthe leaned forward. The words flickered when Laxus struck them.

"Force. Gate. Close. Ja Ra Kae!"

She didn't scream.

Laxus struck.

The shield fell.

"Virgo!" She yelled, "Force gate close: Ja Ra Kae!"

The Crocodile vanished.

"Open the Gate of the Reborn Crocodile, Ja Ra Kae!" She commanded, though the key was still in Amilia's hands. The Reborn Crocodile hadn't come willingly. He hadn't brought his key with him. But she _would_ take that key, and he _was_ now hers.

Amilia had the key, but it would be under _her_ control.

"Lady." The Crocodile said when he appeared before her. "What is your desire?"

"Protect Minthe and the servant from Amilia." She trusted Ja Ra Kae to do as ordered. "Virgo, release her!" Lucy pushed back, about to command Laxus when–

_BOOM!_

Amilia was flat on the ground. Twitching.

Laxus needed no commands from her.

"Is she alive?" Lucy whispered.

He slid the sound pods from his ears, glancing down at the Crocodile. "She is." The tone of his voice told her that it had been a close thing. That he had almost not held himself back.

For the first time in the whole of her life, Lucy wasn't quite sure if he had done the right thing by...

She was glad it wasn't her who made the decision.

"Close the Gate of the Lyre. Close the Gate of the Twins. Thank you both. Virgo," she spoke into the dome Ja Ra Kae still held, "do you have them?"

"Yes, Princess."

"Is she safe to release?" Laxus muttered still behind her. "I'm not a big mythology buff like you or Freed, but immortals..."

"There's a risk," Lucy agreed. She walked up to the protective green shield. "Minthe, will you give testimony against her? I will guarantee my protection, in so much as if you are innocent, I will keep you safe."

The worn down mermaid bowed further to her, and nodded. "I will speak against the woman who held me."

Ja Ra Ke's shield fell.

"Minthe … can you explain it? What happened?" Lucy bent down to inspect the naiad's bindings. "And maybe how to get this off of you? There's no hinge or keyhole snap or button release…"

"I couldn't unlock them, Princess," Virgo bowed. "Punishment?"

"No, Virgo. It's okay. Minthe?"

"I am Minthe, the funerary nymph, and I was bought by that girl five years ago. As a pet, I suppose. I have been, over the last few decades, bought and sold as a curiosity. It is only the girl who has made true use of my abilities. The bindings have been in place for as long as I have been slaved to land and mortal owners. I do not know how to undo them."

Lucy bit her lip. "Since I'm guessing brute strength and metal sheers aren't an option… they obviously don't nullify magic … runes? Freed?"

"He could write _on_ it," Laxus said to both Lucy and Minthe in apologetic tones, "but he can't unmake something, no."

"Think Jellal knows any of Ultear's arc of time magic? Could age it off?"

"It's not a material that will rust," Minthe said.

"Maybe if a virgin kissed her," Lucy suggested.

"Brains are leaking again," Laxus rolled his eyes. "I'm calling Gajeel."

"Think he can eat it off? But if it doesn't rust, I doubt it's real metal…"

"…I was calling him as a Council Guard, but that's not the worst idea to at least have him look at it. Natsu's eaten things that aren't actual fire before."

Minthe looked between the two of them. "You're calling a man to … eat the chain?"

"An iron dragon slayer," Lucy explained. "It might work."

The mermaid considered. "Indeed. It might."

"So," Laxus towered over at Amilia, who had been trussed up by Virgo, "how about we say we had justifiable self defense here."

"I did," she said. "She shot me!" She pointed to the hole in the front of her shirt.

His face shadowed.

Okay, that was not the best thing to say.

"Laxus…"

"Chill, Lucy. I won't kill her."

"Rather specific…"

Laxus stepped on the woman's right hand and glared down at her. Lucy watched as he put the full force of his body onto his foot. Listened as Amilia whimpered, and choked.

Tears ran down her cheeks. But she did not reprimand Laxus when he turned and came back to her side. She had watched. And understood. It wasn't about the bullet hole in her shirt. It was about all of those files. It was about Maggie. It was mostly, she thought, about Maggie.

Maybe it was about the girl he found in the village. He mentioned something about finding one still alive...

Had Amilia been a man... had Amilia been Char or Runnar... Had Amilia been a man and a _mage_ , Lucy knew that Laxus would have felt justified in doing more than breaking a hand. But without Minthe and the white-gold keys to protect her, Amilia was as weak if not weaker, physically, than those victims she took. It would be all too easy for them to slip and kill her on accident if they were to attempt any kind of physical retribution.

Lucy took her own turn to stand over Amilia, and bent to take the remaining two white-gold keys from a pocket in her skirt. Ja Ra Ke's, which was fully hers now; though, she'd need to set up the contract. And Luk Kai's, which she would need to make hers. But not yet. She was tired. Very tired.

First they needed to get the guard for Amilia. Find someone to take care of Minthe. Give statements of what happened. And then she would need to sleep.

She blinked. Blinked again. She was really quiet tired. The pain in her chest had almost completely disappeared. She looked up at Laxus, who looked down at her.

And he smiled.

"It's okay, Lucy. I already sent Loke to get that guard. Surprised he's not already here, what with the racket your dog made. Go sit in the corner and rest. You can give a report when you wake up."

She meant to say something. _No_. Or maybe _thank you_. But instead, the world went sideways, and night fell, as she did.

0000

Reporting to the guard was easy. They had the paperwork from the princess, the wounded servant girl – whose name was Coleen – and the enslaved … Lucy called her a _naiad_ , as witness. The girl, Lamie, who he found with her legs broken in town, couldn't remember anything. What happened to her was evidence, but she couldn't serve as a witness. Still, Coleen and Minthe could speak to the guard, and give a good account of the whole event.

A mermaid witness was a little iffy, but the guard decided to accept it, and figured the courts would as well. They were working on the problem of her cuffs, which Gajeel hadn't been able to solve with his teeth. Minthe agreed to give witness in exchange for her freedom, though Lucy was more than slightly angry about that, saying she didn't need to exchange shit for freedom, etc etc. But it was going to cost to hire folks to work out the mystery of those cuffs. So really, they were paying for her testimony in mage work.

Laxus thought he was a damn good witness as well, but he'd only caught the end. Things didn't really start rolling with the reports and the arrest – and the bullshit craziness in the house – until he shook Lucy awake and she backed up the story Minthe and Coleen were telling.

_Liked to watch._

What a crazy bitch.

He thought about all those times he'd danced with her. Talked with her. That time at Holen when she'd asked him to walk with her … what would she have done then? Had she seen him as a threat, and had she meant it as a chance to attack? Or was it just as it had seemed at the time. Flirting?

Either way. Crazy bitch. He was ashamed he hadn't smelled it on her.

He should have. Lucy'd been in harm's way – someone else he'd sworn to protect had _once again_ been threatened – because he hadn't fully lived up to his side of the deal in life. He was a protector. A guardian. A physically superior person, who had decided – willfully decided – to dedicate himself to protecting those around him.

Sure, she was safe.

Sure, she was currently in his bed, asleep.

Sure, she wasn't in any danger _now_.

But he felt a certain sense of, if not failure, inadequacy. He needed to get stronger. Better. More skilled. Just being able to hit harder wasn't good enough.

For Lucy, he'd become better than a tank.

"We won, Laxus. It's been days. Are you ever going to sleep?" Her voice was weak and tired. She had used up a lot of her personal energies, despite the rune, and was recovering from the bullet wound naturally. She had put a lot of power into Gemini for Coleen and Lamie. Their contract demanded she allow the spirit time to rest, and Lucy (and Laxus, too) knew her wound wasn't anything close to fatal. But it had made her tired and sore.

He could hear that exhaustion, and that pain, in her voice. But he also heard exasperation.

"I'm fine. Go back to sleep. You're the one who needs it."

"Everyone needs sleep, Laxus. And there's no one to guard me from, now. Or the house. And even if there were, there are no less than 20 guards scattered around the house and property. It'll be okay for a night. Come to bed."

"I'm fine-"

She rolled off of the mattress and stumbled to him, where he was sitting in a large chair beside the window. Still in the Wilnlo mansion. She knelt before him. They'd done this before. He remembered. Just a few weeks ago. Her before him, reassuring him. Calming him.

She reached up and put her fingers under his jaw, putting just enough pressure on it to tilt his head away from the window so that he'd look at her. Fully at her.

"You're not fine. I don't care. Come to bed. Please. You can be worried and stressed and upset and guilty and whatever else when you wake up. Right now? Just sleep. For a small moment, realize that it's not a crime to be proud of yourself. To be happy you succeeded. To have some joy that we're here together, that we made it, Laxus. I know you can't do that forever. I know you have to be strong, you have to ride yourself, and be tough. Be your own toughest critic. But you don't have to do that right this moment. Now? Just be with me, and sleep. Okay? Please?"

Her eyes were large and shadowed. The room was too dark for him to make out emotion or nuance in her eyes, her face. No expression. Just her voice and the light grip of her hand around his.

He considered, briefly, not going. Fucking off. Leaving. He wasn't sure why he considered it. Not after all that soul searching. All that promising to himself. But in that moment, in the dark, he had a flash of feeling that maybe he wouldn't be able to do it. That maybe he wasn't worth it. That maybe he wasn't capable of doing all and being all that she needed.

Maybe, just maybe, for a moment, he was afraid. How many times would she have to kneel before him and talk him through angst? That was hardly a life you wished on someone. Not someone you liked.

But maybe someone you needed...

"Laxus."

"I can't, Lucy. I just … I just can't."

She sighed and shifted so that she rested against his leg, her head leaning on his knee. "You're such a stubborn oaf." She yawned. "Pain in the ass."

Before Laxus could reply, she was asleep there, on the floor. Her breathing calm, even.

"Look who's calling who stubborn," he muttered to her, touching her hair, and then pulling away. He sat watching her for one minute. And two. Three. And then all of the tension in him fled. "Okay. You win. Again."

She didn't wake to gloat. She didn't shift or move at the sound of his voice. So he leaned forward and carefully picked her up, carrying her back to the bed, and putting her under the blankets there. Slowly, reluctantly, he did all the things he needed to do to prepare himself for sleep. When he joined her, she took a deep breath and shifted. He stilled, thinking he had startled her into waking. But that was the only reaction she gave. After that gasp, she settled back into a steady sleep.

He reached for her, grabbing her hand, but not taking or demanding any more contact than that. He knew that by morning, when he woke, he would be smothering her. He almost always was. He told her once that he'd stop if he could help it, and maybe it was true when he first said it, but it certainly wasn't true now. Still, he wouldn't force that contact on her. Not consciously. Not when she was so weak. Not when the rest she needed was necessary, and deep.

So he took her hand. He took her hand and watched her silhouette. Studying the slight movement of her breathing. Shifting. Instead of falling asleep, he found his calm, his rest, in being beside her. In trying to accept the words. Those goddamn words of hope she gave him in that tired voice.

Maybe he could put aside his guilt for just a few more hours. Just a few more hours, and spend time being happy to be next to her.

It wasn't easy.

It couldn't be easy. Just looking at her. Just being with her. The reason for it was fucked. And it would never not be fucked. Honestly, the history behind them was _always_ fucked. Almost every single meeting.

But right at this single, solitary, moment. He could put that aside. And be happy. Because they did it. They completed the job. And they were here. She was here. He was here. And he could touch her. As much as it hurt to touch her. To look at her. To see her. To know.

As much as happiness hurt when surrounded by so much hell. It was still happiness. And she was still with him. He was still with her.

She breathed.

He breathed.

She slept.

He slept.

0000

"I'm very pleased with your work."

Princess Hisui's office was unchanged in the five and a half weeks since they'd last seen been inside the castle. Like that first night, Lucy stood a few steps in front of him, taking point in addressing the princess, while he stood back against the wall. Still uninterested in addressing royalty.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I'm afraid we don't quite feel the same way, but thank you."

"None of us wanted more deaths, but you and I both knew they were possible. Inevitable even. We simply did not have enough information going into the event to solve the case right away, and the first murder happened before you even reached Mason, Lucy. Do I wish it had gone better? Of course, but I also wish I had found a way to stop the murders last year. I knew of them last year, and I was unable to stop them. Without you and Laxus, I would have seen another year and another six women dead, maybe more. You may feel like you failed, but believe me when I tell you, you did not. You tracked down a killer, and you brought her to justice. The two of you directly saved three lives, and indirectly saved the lives of all those other women who would have died had you not taken on my request-"

"But, we still lost Daine at Mason and Wen and Runnar at Holen."

"Yes, you did. You, neither of you, are perfect. But no one is, Lucy. You completed the job. In my opinion, in the opinion of your princess and client – as well as that of the guard, who have forwarded their reports to me, at my request – you did a job that no one else was more capable of doing, and did it well. Solved in the third house, and you and I both considered the possibility that it might take all six. I can understand feelings of guilt," Laxus caught her eyes as the princess glanced up at him, clearly reading him and his guilt easily, "but don't let guilt be all that you feel."

Laxus continued his silence, while Lucy bowed. "I'll consider it, Princess."

"Do. And, I thank you again. Even if you don't appreciate it, I thank you sincerely. It will be a few weeks yet before the case is completely wrapped up. The guard still needs to track who sold the Dominos Minthe; Brandish might very well be inheriting early, and a poorer estate. But that is no longer your job. I'm proud of you both. Payment, with a bonus, will be transferred into your accounts. You are dismissed."

This time he bowed when Lucy did, and they both left the office, as ordered.

Together they walked down the hallway and toward the suite they had shared that first week. Laxus swallowed, wondering when they'd have the conversation they'd been avoiding for days. Filling up their time with trial reports, Lucy's forming contracts with the alternate zodiac keys, and preparation for speaking to Hisui.

He didn't know how to ask her … the questions he didn't know. He didn't know exactly what he wanted. Didn't know exactly what _she_ wanted.

Fuck his gramps. Shit would be easier if they were in the same guild. But they weren't. So it was automatically more complicated.

They reached the door, and before he could open it, she had her hand on the knob, holding the door wide enough for him to enter before her. He huffed. He'd figured Lucy for the romantic type, that she'd like someone to open doors and pull back chairs, but she'd been a bit standoffish.

Which worried the fuck out of him.

_Goddamn it._

What was his problem?

_Shit._

_Okay._

"So," he started, thinking that was an okay opening. Nice and neutral and non-confrontational. "What now?"

She bit her lip and her stance shifted. Agitated. Instantly. Not good. Not at all good.

"I … I want to … I can't join Blue Pegasus, Laxus. I can't do it. I thought about it, and I just can't do it. It feels wrong for me." She turned from him, then her shoulders stiffened and she turned back, waving her hands between them, "Not that I'm judging you or your team for joining! I just … for _me_ … I just … I don't think it's a good fit for _me_. And, anyway, I do like my job. Writing's what I love... Um. Writing is... I just think..."

He thought she might cry. And that made it okay. That made him understand. It wasn't what he was afraid of before, where it was only the fear and the excitement of the job that created what there might have been between them. It was that she was still standing by Fairy Tail. Which had been her position since day one.

He could get behind that. He wouldn't fight that. He could understand that.

But, just like she couldn't bring herself to join another guild, he wasn't sure he could bring himself to up and leave his new one.

"I've only been with Blue Pegasus a few months," he told her, speaking slowly. Considering his words. "It might be easy to leave, but at the same time, I can't imagine … I don't have to imagine life without a guild, I mean. I did it. And it wasn't really for me. I prefer being in a guild, even if it's... Even..." he cleared his throat. "I don't think I can leave. Not yet. Not until I've really given the place a good try."

"They're a good guild, I think." Lucy smiled at him. "I think you'd be happy enough there."

He shrugged, "What's happy _enough_? But yeah, I guess." He looked at the fire. "Really, I'm waiting. Just like you said. I'm waiting, too. In a different way, but the same idea."

"Yeah," she agreed.

They were both quiet for a long period of time. Again Laxus built up the nerve to continue.

"What does that mean?"

She shrugged, but then smiled as she dropped down to sit on the rug in front of the fire. That fire. Forcing herself in front of his line of sight. A nice warm spot, setting her face in flickering shadow and light, and making her hair glow red-gold.

"What do you want it to mean?" she asked, there was something odd in her smile that he couldn't recognize, so he looked over her shoulder, at the fire. The fire. Not her.

He went for the blunt, honest answer, "I want it not to mean this is over."

"That sounds good."

Her breathing was changing, but he didn't look away from the fire. He tried not to look away from the fire. He thought maybe she was about to cry, but he didn't look away from the fire.

"Will … while you're at the guild, your guild, waiting … will you wait for me, then, too?"

That did make him look at her. And she was, in fact, crying. Or on the verge of it, with tears in her eyes and heartbeat erratic. "Wait? Why wait? I thought, I mean … I thought, I'd just zap by the capitol whenever I could..."

Her eyes widened and her hands were up again, "Oh! I, uh. That's … that's even better. I'm not sure if … sometimes Jason sends me out for stories, so I'm not always at home, but if I'm in town, I'd lo... I'd be happy to see you! But I figured, you have jobs, and you train with your team... You might not have a ton of free time on your hands. I don't want you to feel obligated-"

"I don't feel obligated."

"And, I know that I don't always feel like myself. Like _Lucy_ when I'm in that place. I'm less a mage, less the person you've spent time with when I work for the Sorcerer. I guess what I'm trying to say is my every-day life is pretty boring anymore. Not like … not like before. So, if you'd prefer to wait for... for the real me, like we're waiting for home... I'd understand."

He snorted. "Lucy, you're complicated as shit. That's the person I met on this job. You were forced to be three or four different people, and all of them were a little real. We're all like that. Fuck, I'm the same way. I don't give a shit. Had nothing to do with magic or no magic, fighting or no fighting. It's about you, and it's about me. Fuck half of the time we just sat around doing fucking _nothing_. I think I know you pretty okay by now." He lifted one shoulder and then waved his hand as if brushing away that point, "But you're right about the training and the jobs. I'm obligated to the guild. Gotta do jobs to pay dues and all. Not too hard, got no problems doing the work, but the work does have to be done, and like your work, it'll take me away sometimes. The last month was weird, and full of lots of terrible shit. I won't deny that. No way to deny that. But we can work something out so that..."

She smiled, "So that we can see if this still works in a world that is sane."

"Exactly."

"Then, when you can, you'll come see me?" The look and sound of hope in her, directed at him, burned in a way that heat never had, never would, never could.

"Yes."

"And maybe I can come visit you at the guild? I'd love to see your team in action."

"Sure, I'm sure they'd be fine with you working with us for-"

She laughed, "Oh come on, Laxus. I mean _at the guild_. I saw the waitresses in costumes while I was there! Do you all do rotations? I'm thinking you do. And if you do, I want to be there when the Rajinshuu are on staff duty."

He glared at her, "You're right, I should have seen that coming. And no, not everyone plays waitstaff."

"But the noobs?"

Part of him hated that sly, knowing look of hers. The other part of him appreciated it for the fact that it was so lighthearted.

"Yes, goddamn it, yes. You happy? Fuck. It's part of the dues, your first year."

"Right! So you come see me, and I'll come see you, and I pick those days-"

"Then I pick the days you're doing your underwear modeling," he leered at her, hoping to match her beat for beat, but losing immediately.

"I don't do that anymore. Which you would know if you kept better track of me. Sad. What a _lonely_ feeling this is! I... yes. Quite forlorn. What to do with my broken heart?"

He snorted. "Bullshit. Tell me that Jason punk doesn't have you contracted to model still even though you're doing reporting, now."

"...well..."

"Yeah, I thought so."

She laughed. "He'd make a good celestial mage... or a very bad one? Very strong contracts, at least, and usually in his favor. Not that they aren't fair, but _always_ always beneficial to him and the bottom line of his magazine."

"Still a punk."

"Yeah, he is." She was quiet. Carefully, she shifted into a different sitting position and ran her fingers through her hair. "Okay. Okay, I think that is a plan, then."

"Yeah. I think it is."

"Then this isn't actually goodbye, which is good. I don't think I could do _goodbye_."

Laxus chuckled, "Nah, it's not. If you've got your shit packed, I can get you to your place … well, now. Since Hisui's done with us, we can be done with the castle. Unless you want to stay."

She looked around, that red-gold, glowing hair flashing with each move. "No. I'm tired of gaudy rooms like this. I'd like to go... to go to my apartment."

"Then let's do that." He stepped into the bedroom and picked up his packed bag. Stepping back into the sitting room, he lifted his left arm so that Lucy could step up to him. Tucked into his side. Her forehead against his chest. His hand in her hair. He called his power.

He didn't usually call power in a inhabited building, but he didn't care. The princess was thankful to them. They'd done a job and earned gratitude enough to get away with the noise complaint. Probably even the broken glass windows and mirror in the room that would be left when the power exploded from him.

And that was something. The gratitude of a princess.

A young woman in Holen had told him she owed him her life. The family of an even younger woman in Winelow offered money and favors in thanks for her rescue.

At least three women, happy with what he had done with the last five weeks of his life. But it was the fourth who mattered. And the fourth whose gift meant most.

A shared happiness. A shared hope. A shared pain. And maybe, a shared future.

0000X0000

The End.

Just Kidding! Well, kind of. There's an epilogue. But then the end. So one more chapter. One more SHORT chapter. VERY VERY short.

Extra Info-

_Dao Mah Lap_ or the constellation of the 3 AM Dog is super simple, it's just the brightest star in the sky, which in certain times of year takes a long time to rise. Leading to it being the star of thieves in a way, that it's a sleepy dog that will not wake when you walk past it. Supposedly if you were born under the Mah Lap sign, you are going to be a thief or join a gang or something. I can't remember.

_Dao Ja Ra Kae_ is slightly more complicated. A wealthy man hid his fortune and died, telling his wife where to find the money and that she needed to make a donation to the temple. After he died, a Croc was seen protecting his property, and when the wife was digging up his hidden fortune, and taking it to the temple as an offering, the Croc protected her too. People said that the Croc was her husband, reborn, and so for his generosity and goodness they made the croc into a constellation. He's the Big Dipper.


	16. Joy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everything ends, to begin.

Downstairs and Dead

Epilogue

Joy

The night was beautiful.

She walked the streets in her home, remembering what it meant to live in a place that held her heart. Closing her eyes, because she didn't need sight to find her way.

Eventually she found herself leaving behind the stone of the street for the short grass of the park.

Home.

She kicked off her shoes.

Home. Home. Home.

Her toes recognized the damp texture. Her nose recognized the fresh scent. Her skin was familiar with the touch of breeze.

_Home._

Once upon a time, she'd come to this place to dance. To find, as her mother called it, joy. Joy in movement. There was no music, but her body stretched, reaching for the stars, her beloved stars, and then she tripped forward, searching for the center of the large area. For solitude.

She hummed.

Happiness buzzed in her blood. The song controlling her muscles was faster than it usually was when she was dancing around in this park, but she was just too excited to be here. To be back here. To be _home._

_Ah hell, no need to hold back!_

She laughed and allowed herself to jump around, cartwheel, and laugh even more. No harm in happiness.

Movement in joy, and she was bursting with both.

There was dew on the grass, and she slipped once or twice. Glad she'd decided to wear her pajama pants out instead of anything nicer. Grass stains and mud, for sure. But who cared? Not her.

She laughed as she twirled and leaped.

_Home._

It took awhile for her energy to drain. She was so happy. So buzzed. But her feet slowed. Her steps became lazier and longer. Her arms stretched farther and swung around instead of snapping forward.

And when the music in her head changed tempo, he caught her hand. He stepped up to her, one clear inch between their bodies, and they danced. They moved.

His posture was perfect. She smiled at him. His face was so serious, making sure each movement was correct in every way. The imp in her, the gleeful fairy, double stepped on a single and spun when she should have simply turned.

She twisted so that she was behind him. Put a hand on the small of his back and slowly moved it up, and skipped away before he could reach out.

She made him work for her. Made him improvise. Made that perfect posture adjust.

Made him touch her. Made that inch vanish.

The night was warm, shadowed and silvered, and she was covered in sweat and dew.

And they danced. He'd let her turn, let her twist away. But he would always pull her back, tight against him. She'd have to fight for air. For a sense that there was anything in the world other than him. Him and his lead.

She pushed him. Turned Turned to face the night. So that she could breathe. But the inch was still gone. His chest, large and warm against her back. She was the one who destroyed that perfect posture. His hands, one in hers and the other eclipsing her left hip. She lifted her eyes, and instead of the stars, all she saw was him.

The music changed.

Faster again, faster and faster in her blood. But she had stopped moving. Her feet were still.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked.

"Bend down and let me see," she replied.

He moved those hands, one to her jaw, one to her stomach. Pulling her up; pulling her close. He let her kiss him. Power shuddered over her skin. His hands convulsed. Her own lifted to hold his head still. Just for a moment. One moment. One moment longer.

She released him. Opened her eyes. He moved his hands, both hands, to her hips. Not letting her go, but no longer taking full control of her.

"Yes," she whispered. Resting her head back against his chest. "Yes. It hurts."

"You love me."

"Yeah."

His hands slipped back to her stomach. He pressed. Pressed so that she might almost merge with him. A convulsive, impulsive movement, she thought. And there was pain, again. She stood with it. A tremor went through him.

"That's all I wanted to hear."

"So from now on you only get to entertain me, is that clear?"

"One sentence more than necessary, Lucy, but yeah. Clear." He laughed. "Perfectly clear. I'm glad to be home."

"Yeah. It was a long year."

"Hasn't been a year." He tilted his head down to breathe in her hair and brush his lips over her temples and cheeks. "Two months and a week. A long nine weeks." He grinned. "I finished my job and went to see you. Your landlady told me you'd left with an overactive pink-haired boy, so I went back to the guild to wait a little longer."

Her throat closed. Her face burned. Tears formed and fell instantly from her eyes.

He kissed her.

"You're right. It hurts." He said, with his mouth against her shoulder. "I love you, too. If the old man pulls some bullshit like that again, I don't care if he has good intentions, don't leave. I can't stand to lose this."

"I won't. I won't ever. I can't."

She fought his hold. Fought him, struggled against him so that she could turn and reach around him. Reach up and hold him. Kiss him.

One day, maybe it wouldn't hurt. Maybe it wouldn't hurt, and would still be real. But maybe they would never leave behind what their love was built on. The lives of girls who would never have what they had. So they would live and love for them. And suffer, too. It was only right. It was only fair.

She kissed him, and it was movement and joy. It was real and painful. It was love, and it was home.

It was him, and she was grateful.

0000X0000

The End

So like I said, this was a very short epilogue. Thanks to everyone who supported me throughout this year on the story. I hope you all found some enjoyment in it.


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